NTSB Factual Report

On May 14, 2005 at 1745 eastern daylight time, a Piper Apache PA 23-150, N2113P, registered to and operated by a private owner, gear collapsed while landing on runway 32 at Newnan Coweta County Airport, Newnan, Georgia. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from LaGrange-Callaway Airport, LaGrange, Georgia on May 14, 2005 at 1715.

The personal flight was returning from LaGrange, Georgia and had entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 32 at Newnan Coweta County Airport. The airplane landed on its main landing gear and after rolling out a short distance, the pilot lowered the nose wheel until it touched the runway. After the nose wheel touched down, the airplane pitched forward and the propellers struck the runway.

Examination of the wreckage revealed all the landing gear collapsed, tail cone damage, crush damage on belly of fuselage, both propellers damaged, the left wing buckled and both flaps damaged. Further examination of the airplane revealed the top actuator bracket of the right main landing gear was broken and separated from the attach point., There was visible rust deposits at the point of cold-weld joint. Also the upper drag link of the nose gear was rusted and fractured.

Post-accident examination of the maintenance performed on the right main landing gear revealed that the top actuator bracket was not of original manufacturer design standards.

Also, the top actuator bracket was cold-welded to mount. According to the manufacturer this was not the repair procedure for the actuator bracket assembly.

NTSB Probable Cause

The improper repair to the main landing gear assembly resulted in the actuator bracket failure and the right main gear collapse. A factor was the inadequate inspection of the right main landing gear.