Accident Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II N8282P, Monday 2 January 2012

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Date:	Monday 2 January 2012
Time:	15:00 LT
Type:	Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II
Owner/operator:	Northeastern Aviation Corp
Registration:	N8282P
MSN:	34-8170022
Year of manufacture:	1980
Total airframe hrs:	3287 hours
Engine model:	Continental TSIO-360 SER
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Shelter Island, New York - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Farmingdale-Republic Airport, NY (FRG/KFRG)
Destination airport:	Shelter Island, NY (NA )
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot stated that after crossing over trees at the runway threshold, the airplane experienced a downdraft and decay in airspeed. The airplane touched down hard and bounced, and the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. Detailed examination of the landing gear revealed that the retraction arm fractured at its bolt connection, which allowed the oleo strut to rotate, where it sheared at the wheel axle assembly. None of the fracture surfaces exhibited evidence of any preexisting cracks or signatures of fatigue.

Probable Cause: A hard landing, which resulted in a failure of the right main and collapse of the left main landing gear.

Accident investigation: