REFLECTOR: NOSE WHEEL GOT SIDEWAYS

[Donald Royer]

Tom
You might want to check out the following report in the archives;

http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/msg01224.html




> [Original Message]
> From: Tom Martino <tmartino at troubleshooter.com>
> To: <reflector at www.tvbf.org>
> Date: 3/9/2005 6:53:58 PM
> Subject: REFLECTOR: NOSE WHEEL GOT SIDEWAYS
>
> Something unusual happened to me today in flight ... but fortunately, it
> didn't cause any major problems.
>
>  
>
> I am not sure why it happened or what to do to prevent it ... so I ask
> all of you ...
>
>  
>
> I was doing touch-and-goes.  On my last take-off ... I noticed the nose
> gear hadn't retracted.  So I lowered the gear (got greens) and landed.
>
>  
>
> The nose gear door actuator has a "T" fitting screwed into the end of
> the shaft which connects to the gear door rods (which open and close the
> door).
>
>  
>
> The "T" had snapped off the end of the actuator shaft. 
>
>  
>
> >From what I surmised ... the nose gear got sideways and grabbed the nose
> gear doors on the way up (during retraction) and got wedged outside the
> doors.  As it pulled the doors up with a lot of force (while the door
> actuator was still extended) it snapped the "T" fitting off the end of
> the shaft.
>
>  
>
> The only damage is the "T" fitting (which I lost in flight) and the rod
> of the actuator which has a screw snapped off inside it.
>
>  
>
> Has anyone ever head o this happening?
>
>  
>
> Either I retracted my gear too soon, or the nose fork is too tight on
> the spindle.
>
>  
>
> Any thoughts?
>