AAIB Report: Piper PA-28-180, G-AXSG
Safety Recommendation: 2024-001
Safety Recommendation Text
It is recommended that the UK Civil Aviation Authority undertakes an unsafe condition assessment, in accordance with the requirements of UK Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 Annex I Part 21.A.3, for the cast main landing gear cylinder cracking affecting PA-28 and PA-32 aircraft, and take appropriate action based on the outcome of the assessment.
CAA latest update
The CAA has undertaken an ‘unsafe condition assessment’ in accordance with UK Reg (EU) No 748/2012, Annex I, Part 21.A.3B for landing gear failures involving UK registered Piper PA-28 and PA-32 aircraft for the period 2017-2023 (inclusive).
The assessment calculated an effective occurrence rate for the fleet by taking the number of PA-28/PA-32 landing gear failures over the seven-year period and dividing it by the total hours accumulated by the UK PA-28/PA-32 fleet for that period. That figure was then compared against an ‘allowable’ quantitative probability of one in 10,000 flying hours for a ‘Major’ failure condition, as defined in FAA AC23.1309-1E. The CAA considers this approach to be conservative.
The occurrence rate was found to be well within the allowable quantitative probability (by approximately three times) and indicates that mandatory action to mitigate landing gear failures affecting the UK PA-28 and PA-32 fleet is not warranted.
Nevertheless, the CAA recognises the importance of raising awareness around this issue and will therefore be publishing a Safety Notice, recommending that owners, operators, and maintainers of PA-28 and PA-32 aircraft carry out landing gear inspections at the next routine maintenance check with any findings of cracking to be reported to the CAA. The Safety Notice will also highlight Piper Service Bulletin SB1131A and recommend that it be incorporated into the aircraft maintenance programme.
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