PA23 left gear collapses as pilot pulls onto the runway for takeoff at a non tower airport.

Attributes
ACN	354462
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : f45
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-23 Apache (& Geronimo Apache)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	354462
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After preflight, I taxied aircraft to the active runway (runway 8R). I then completed the engine run-up. Everything was working fine. The aircraft was in takeoff confign. I made a final look around the pattern, then I announced over the radio (CTAF 123.0) my intentions of departing to the southeast. I began the taxi onto the runway when all of a sudden, the left gear collapsed. I tried to swing the plane around to exit the runway. I then announced to the FBO working the unicom that I needed to be towed, the aircraft landing gear collapsed. I then shut the aircraft down and exited the plane to examine the damage. No propeller damage, no engine damage. The gear folded backwards after a support bolt sheared away. Finally, assistance arrived and the aircraft was towed off the runway. The FARS 830.5 state that it is not a rptable accident, but mr X of the palm beach county airport operations listed the occurrence as a category III accident. I asked him to notify FAA and NTSB over the weekend. He said they have my telephone number and they would call me. I never heard from them, so I'm hoping that they understand far 830.5 as I understand it (non rptable). The problem came about because of a stressed support bolt in the landing gear. I recommend that they be changed in the annual inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23 L GEAR COLLAPSES AS PLT PULLS ONTO THE RWY FOR TKOF AT A NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER PREFLT, I TAXIED ACFT TO THE ACTIVE RWY (RWY 8R). I THEN COMPLETED THE ENG RUN-UP. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. THE ACFT WAS IN TKOF CONFIGN. I MADE A FINAL LOOK AROUND THE PATTERN, THEN I ANNOUNCED OVER THE RADIO (CTAF 123.0) MY INTENTIONS OF DEPARTING TO THE SE. I BEGAN THE TAXI ONTO THE RWY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE L GEAR COLLAPSED. I TRIED TO SWING THE PLANE AROUND TO EXIT THE RWY. I THEN ANNOUNCED TO THE FBO WORKING THE UNICOM THAT I NEEDED TO BE TOWED, THE ACFT LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED. I THEN SHUT THE ACFT DOWN AND EXITED THE PLANE TO EXAMINE THE DAMAGE. NO PROP DAMAGE, NO ENG DAMAGE. THE GEAR FOLDED BACKWARDS AFTER A SUPPORT BOLT SHEARED AWAY. FINALLY, ASSISTANCE ARRIVED AND THE ACFT WAS TOWED OFF THE RWY. THE FARS 830.5 STATE THAT IT IS NOT A RPTABLE ACCIDENT, BUT MR X OF THE PALM BEACH COUNTY ARPT OPS LISTED THE OCCURRENCE AS A CATEGORY III ACCIDENT. I ASKED HIM TO NOTIFY FAA AND NTSB OVER THE WEEKEND. HE SAID THEY HAVE MY TELEPHONE NUMBER AND THEY WOULD CALL ME. I NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, SO I'M HOPING THAT THEY UNDERSTAND FAR 830.5 AS I UNDERSTAND IT (NON RPTABLE). THE PROB CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A STRESSED SUPPORT BOLT IN THE LNDG GEAR. I RECOMMEND THAT THEY BE CHANGED IN THE ANNUAL INSPECTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.