Analyzing Failure

On October 9, 2013, in Xenia, Ohio, a Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage sustained a nosewheel failure and departed the runway after landing. There were no injuries.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Piper Malibu Mirage experienced a nosewheel failure and runway departure due to a fatigue fracture in the engine mount's nose gear actuator feet.
The component was subject to a mandatory service bulletin (SB 1103D) requiring a 100-hour inspection for cracks.
The NTSB concluded the probable cause was the fatigue fracture, with the inadequate completion of the specified inspection by maintenance personnel contributing to the accident.

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On October 9, 2013, in Xenia, Ohio, a Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage sustained a nosewheel failure and departed the runway after landing. There were no injuries.

According to the NTSB, after the pilot lowered the nosewheel to the runway, “the airplane began to pull quickly to the left. He applied right brake and pulled back on the yoke, but the airplane continued to veer off the left side of the runway. The airplane traveled about 500 feet before the nose gear collapsed back into the wheel well, and the airplane’s nose and propeller impacted the ground.”