On 7 January 2013, a Piper PA-28 aircraft with a student pilot on board lost a wheel during take-off at Mangalore Airport.
After take-off an instructor on the ground noticed something trailing the aircraft and radioed the pilot to make a low-level pass so they could determine what the object was.
Following the low-level pass, the instructor noticed that the right main wheel and inner cylinder of the landing gear assembly had detached from the upper cylinder and was hanging off the brake line. After a second low-level pass they were seen to have detached completely.
The aircraft touched down on the runway and slid off to the side, coming to rest on grass.
The instructor advised the student to hold over the airfield to burn off fuel and allow time for a plan to be devised. After several hours and with emergency services in attendance the student was instructed to make a normal approach. The aircraft touched down on the runway and slid off to the side, coming to rest on grass. The student was uninjured, but the aircraft was extensively damaged.
An engineering examination revealed the lower torque link attachment bolt had failed via bending fatigue due to asymmetric loading (bending from one side). In September 2011, CASA had issued an Airworthiness Directive requiring inspection of torque links on all PA-28 aircraft every 100 hours, consistent with Piper Service Letter No 1199 and replacement with a new style link at 5000 hours. The aircraft had been fitted with the new style links; but there had been no requirement to inspect the torque link attachment bolts.
The operator has undertaken to replace all torque link attachment bolts during the next scheduled maintenance on all their Piper PA-28 aircraft. They will also treat any landings where a sideways load on the wheel assembly may have occurred with caution.
Read the report: Landing gear separation involving Piper PA28, VH-JXR, Mangalore Airport, Victoria, on 7 January 2013