NTSB Factual Report

On September 7, 2012, at 1500 central daylight time, a Socata TBM 700, N850ZM, registered to the pilot, sustained substantial damage after its right main landing gear collapsed while landing on runway 17 at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport, Horseshoe Bay, Texas. The private pilot and his 2 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plane was not filed. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The cross-country flight originated at 1230 from Abilene, Texas.

After an uneventful cross-country flight, the pilot configured the airplane for landing and had cockpit indications that the landing gear was down and locked. Upon a normal landing, the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway. Examination of the landing gear after the accident revealed that the right main landing gear actuator was separated from the actuator ball joint. No other anomalies were noted. Further inspection of the actuator rod and ball joint revealed that the ball joint appeared to be not centered and set in its normal position.

After several other events involving similar landing gear malfunctions, the manufacturer issued two Mandatory Service Bulletins (SB) in April, 2013. SB70-197 and SB70-206 outlined protocols for inspection of the pistons and rods of landing gear actuators and inspection of the ball joint centering of the landing gear actuators and ball joint mismatches. The FAA following by issuing AD 2014-06-06 in March, 2014, requiring compliance with the manufacturers SBs to inspect, repair or replace affected parts.

NTSB Probable Cause

The off-centered right main landing gear ball joint, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing during landing.