Mooney Takeoff.... Oops!

[WardHolbrook]

www.flickr.com/photos/izard/6348904696/

 

[tony]

ouch...I feel the pain

[MooneyMitch]

Pre-load maintanence comes to mind.  Rats!  What a great way to pick up the airplane though. 

[kris_adams]

that would ruin my day for sure

[GeorgePerry]

I've said it in other posts, but IMHO Mooney's and grass don't mix.  Planes were never designed for the stress of a bumpy grass strip.  In this case the nose gear clearly couldn't withstand the stresses and collapsed.

[joenut]

Quote: GeorgePerry

I've said it in other posts, but IMHO Mooney's and grass don't mix.  Planes were never designed for the stress of a bumpy grass strip.  In this case the nose gear clearly couldn't withstand the stresses and collapsed.

[triple8s]

The over center truss is supposed to take the pressure when locked in position, until it is the two rods that move the gear are all could keep the NG in position. These rods on my plane are maybe 1/2 inch in diameter not nearly enough to hold the gear in place if it is malajusted. Proper preload/adjustment is key. I avoid grass personally, I have thought about going to tripletree but the grass does make me think twice about it.

[jetdriven]

I've landed our 201 on grass a few times and it is no big deal. IF the landing gear preload is set per the service manual you can land hard enough to bend the landing gear trusses. If the preload is insufficient, the landing gear extension rods bear the load.  This results in the end of the rods bending over double and collapsing the gear.

 

If your mechanic or shop is not checking the landing gear over center preload every annual MAKE THEM !  You need the service manual and the two special tools for this.  Ask to see them.  Ask how they work.

[takair]

Hate to speculate, but I suspect this had more to do with the gear handle not being latched in the block on a manual gear Mooney.  If they are not fully latched, worn or misrigged, it will appear that the gear is down....but maybe not locked.  If rigged correctly, the light should be on when locked.  However, they can wear in such a way that it does not lock.  On a rough field (grass or paved) it can bounce out and collapse the gear.  This can happen static if you the thumb lock is is not latched and you pull down on the handle. LASAR now even makes a replacement block for those that are worn.  It is worth paying attention to. You can reach your finger in the hole when in flight or on jacks and feel how much it is worn.   These things take a bit of a beating and wear when actuated.  

[Piloto]

Looks like the gear level (Johnson Bar) may have not been properly latched when the gear was extended and it just unlatched on take off. This is why they were able to easily extend the full gear back. On the Mooneys it is very hard for a single gear collapse to cause collapse of the others unless the Johnson Bar or actuator welding conection to main actuating shaft is broken and this would make extension very difficult.

 

José

[M016576]

Quote: jetdriven

I've landed our 201 on grass a few times and it is no big deal. IF the landing gear preload is set per the service manual you can land hard enough to bend the landing gear trusses. If the preload is insufficient, the landing gear extension rods bear the load.  This results in the end of the rods bending over double and collapsing the gear.

 

If your mechanic or shop is not checking the landing gear over center preload every annual MAKE THEM !  You need the service manual and the two special tools for this.  Ask to see them.  Ask how they work.

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: Piloto

Looks like the gear level (Johnson Bar) may have not been properly latched when the gear was extended and it just unlatched on take off. This is why they were able to easily extend the full gear back. On the Mooneys it is very hard for a single gear collapse to cause collapse of the others unless the Johnson Bar or actuator welding conection to main actuating shaft is broken and this would make extension very difficult.

 

José