Gwinnett County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lawrenceville, Georgia 30045
Saturday, November 1, 2008 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During touchdown following a practice ILS approach, the nose gear collapsed, resulting in structural damage to the airplane. Examination of the nose gear assembly revealed that the nose gear drag link bolt failed. The bolt was installed on the airplane approximately 441 flight hours prior to the accident, and Piper Service Bulletin (SB) 1156 requires operators to replace the bolt at 500-hour intervals due to a history of fatigue failures. Examination of the failed bolt revealed that it met design specifications for hardness, surface roughness, and microstructure. Further examination indicated that the bolt failed from reversed bending fatigue. The failure mode was atypical of the failure mode that prompted issuance of the SB.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the nose gear drag link bolt due to reversed bending fatigue.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/1/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lawrenceville
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30045
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335841N
Event Location Longitude 0835744W
Event Location Airport Gwinnett County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KLZU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1061
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KLZU
Elevation of weather observation facility 1061
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.46
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26201
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2009 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record gamw
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2214N
NTSB Number ERA09LA050
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-44-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 44-7995226
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 7802
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT SCHOOL OF GWINNETT INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 800 AIRPORT RD
Aircraft Owner City LAWRENCEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30045-4450
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FLIGHT SCHOOL OF GWINNETT INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 800 AIRPORT RD
Operator City LAWRENCEVILLE
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30045-4450
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KLZU
Departure City Lawrenceville
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KLZU
Destination City Lawrenceville
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 4 2011 10:58AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --