Wheels

The tailwheel could not be steered during an annual inspection. The tailwheel had been painted; its grease fitting had been completely covered. The owner stated a technician told him not to grease the tailwheel and to tighten the nut on the bottom of the steering pivot bolt as tight as possible. Disassembly revealed all parts inside the tailwheel unit were extremely worn.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Multiple aircraft types experienced failures of their wheels, landing gear, or associated components, including tailwheels, nose wheels, and main wheel assemblies.
Primary causes included inadequate maintenance practices such as improper lubrication, incorrect torque, and loose fasteners, alongside structural integrity issues like poor welds, material fatigue (cracks), and excessive corrosion.
These failures led to various operational problems, from steering difficulties and part replacement to critical incidents causing aircraft to swerve off runways or flip.