REFLECTOR: Accident

[Laurence Coen]

Chuck,

No.  The ramp, taxiways and runway were dry.

Here's the rest of the story.  The axle unscrewed about 1/4 of a turn 
causing the nose gear to wedge between the guides.  Yes, it really is that 
tight a fit, though I can't think of a good reason why.  The doors didn't 
open because the sequence valve was not released.  I think I know what 
happened.  First, as backround, the nose fork is the new beefed up model, 
not the one that came with the kit.  The set screw on the new fork was 
drilled further inboard and did not match up with the set screw groove on 
the axle.  To solve this mismatch I ground a flat on the inboard edge of the 
axel groove.  The set screw apparently was sitting on the back of the flat. 
A second locking set screw kept the set screw from backing out.  I 
discovered, after the fact, that I could unscrew the axle about 1/4 turn 
before the other end of flat spot that I ground hit the set screw.  Checking 
the axle is on my preflight check list.  It appeared to be OK but I did my 
external preflight in the hanger to stay out of the wind.  Pushing the plane 
out of the hanger may have rotated the axle since the wheel was turning 
bachwards.  A taxi of about a mile should have screwed it back in but it 
didn't.  After reworking the axel groove I also plan to scribe a line on the 
axle and fork so that any movement will be easy to spot.

Larry Coen
N136LC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chuck Harbert" <c.harbert at comcast.net>
To: <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 7:11 AM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Accident


> Larry, any chance you got slush on the gear doors, or gear door switch, 
> that
> froze after you flew around that prevented the doors from opening?
>
> Chuck H
>
>
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