Originally Posted by CliveL
The gear support structure has a shear pin designed to allow the gear to break cleanly in the event of a crash (9g longitudinal). This is so that it doesn't tear a great hole in the fuel tanks.
The rear attachment of the pylon of wing-mounted engines incorporates a shear pin. It is designed to break when the engine is hit from below in a crash, and allows the pylon and engine to pitch up and depart over the wing, so as to avoid rupturing the fuel tank. I have difficulty imagining a similar function of a shear pin in the main gear support structure. Could you explain that in more detail?