N163DK
Registered owner: HORIZONTAL VENTURES LLC, IN (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY JET CENTER, INC. (YGJA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
WHILE INSTALLING THE RIGHT MLG LEG WE NOTICED THAT THE FWD UPPER AND LOWER TRUNNION ATTACH POINTS, WHERE THE BARREL NUTS SLIDE INTO, BOTH HAD GROOVES WORN INTO THEM AND CHAFFED REALLY BAD ALL AROUND. TOP BARREL NUT HOLE HAD A GROOVE THAT MEASURED ABOUT .035" IN DEPTH AND BOTTOM HAD A GROOVE DEPTH OF ABOUT .025". THE GROOVE DOES NOT GO COMPLETELY AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE HOLE, MAYBE A 1/3 OF THE HOLE, ON TOP AND BOTTOM HOLE. BOTH BARREL NUT HOLES ALSO HAVE DEEP SCRATCHES THE RUN PERPENDICULAR TO THE CHAFFING. I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS AREA GETS CHAFFED THIS BAD BECAUSE THESE BOLTS GET TORQUED TO A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, 72.0 TO 82.0 LB FT FOR TOP AND 160.0 TO 180.0 LB FT FOR THE BOTTOM. THERE IS ALSO NO RECORD OF THE LANDING GEAR EVER BEING OUT OF THIS AIRCRAFT SO THIS DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED AT THE FACTORY.
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON LANDING, THE CREW NOTED A LARGE VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE AIRFRAME. THE VIBRATION LESSENED IN INTENSITY AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED AND WENT AWAY WHEN STOPPED. TAXI TO THE RAMP WAS REPORTED AS NORMAL. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TORQUE LINK BOLT FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE LOWER GEAR ASSEMBLY TO ROTATE FREELY, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO SHIMMY. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE UPPER TORQUE LINK TO CONTACT THE WHEELS, TIRES, AND OUTBOARD BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THE SHIMMY CAUSED THE WEIGHT ON WHEELS SWITCH NORMALLY ATTACHED TO THE LOWER TORQUE LINK TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. IT WAS LATER FOUND BY AIRPORT OPERATIONS DURING A FOD INSPECTION OF THE RUNWAY AFTER THE INCIDENT.
UPON LANDING AT KGYY AT APPROX. 8:00 P.M. ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 21, 2019 AIRCRAFT N163DK FELT A ABNORMAL VIBRATION FORM THE LEFT MLG. THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO THE JET CENTER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT MLG UPPER AND LOWER TORQUE LINKS WERE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. UPON INVESTIGATION WE DISCOVERED THAT THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE TORQUE LINKS TOGETHER HAD SHEARED. THIS ALLOWED THE INNER STRUT AND LEFT MLG WHEELS TO BECOME INDEPENDENT FROM THE OUTER STRUT. WHEN THAT HAPPENED THE MLG WHEELS BEGIN TO VIBRATE AND THE INNER WHEEL HALVES BEGIN TO CONTACT THE UPPER TORQUE LINK CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS AND OUTER BRAKE ASSEMBLY. ALSO THE WEIGHT ON WHEELS SWITCH WAS RIPPED OUT OF THE LOWER TORQUE LINK.