Piper PA-28-140 accident near Puyallup, Washington, May 14, 2005
On May 14, 2005 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7263J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Puyallup, Washington (Pierce County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue cracking of the upper torque link attach lugs on the right main landing gear strut, which resulted in separation of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2005 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Puyallup, Washington · Pierce County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7263J · registry record · serial 28-24548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the landing approach "looked good." During the flare, the airplane "hit wind shear" and landed "a little hard." The pilot added power and executed a go around. He heard a banging noise coming from beneath the airplane and declared an emergency. He elected to return to the airport and landed off the runway in a grassy area. During the emergency landing, the airplane settled onto the right wing. The pilot reported that he determined the right main landing gear had separated during the hard landing and remained attached to the airplane only by the brake line. Closer inspection revealed that the two upper torque link attach lugs on the right main landing gear strut cylinder (P/N 65319-04) had separated. Both separation surfaces displayed beach marks, ratchet marks, and areas of discoloration indicative of preexisting cracks. Research revealed that on August 18, 2003, the airplane manufacturer (Piper) had issued Service Bulletin 1131, which called for an inspection of the main landing gear cylinder upper torque link attach lugs for cracks in the area where the subject cylinder failed. This Service Bulletin had not been performed on the accident airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2005; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-O2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S50 Auburn WA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 1S0 Puyallup WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,650 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.