Event CHI90LA261

1990-09-11 MONROE, Michigan, United States Airport · D92 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N321GB

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-28-235

Year of manufacture

1964 · 26 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19640605

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A3729F

Registrant of record

TWISTED ROOTS AVIATION LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N321GB Piper PA-601P None

Probable cause & findings

A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE TORQUE LINK ON THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUT SCISSOR ASSEMBLY.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT FELT THE AIRPLANE PULL RIGHT AT TOUCHDOWN. COMBINED USE OF FLIGHT CONTROLS, LEFT BRAKE AND DIFFERENTIAL POWER REDUCED BUT DID NOT PREVENT A DRIFT OFF THE RUNWAY. A BROKEN TORQUE LINK ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SCISSORS ASSEMBLY ALLOWED THE LOWER STRUT TO TURN OUT OF ALIGNMENT, SCRUBBING THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE SIDEWAYS THROUGHOUT THE LANDING ROLL. THERE HAVE BEEN 17 SIMILAR FAILURES SINCE 1985. THE MANUFACTURER HAS USED A REDESIGNED LINK IN NEW PRODUCTION SINCE 1982 WITHOUT FAILURE. SERVICE BULLETIN 746A, ISSUED 5/86, OFFERS A LINK REPLACEMENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_CHI90LA261.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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