Accident Overview
On January 6, 2021, at 19:50 local time, a BRM AERO Bristell S-LSA (S-LSA) experienced a nose gear failure while landing on runway 35 at Aeródromo Las Marías (SCVL) in Valdivia, Región de Los Ríos, Chile. The pilot, a private pilot with a valid license and 480:48 total flight hours (400:00 on type), reported making a normal approach and soft nose-wheel touchdown. Immediately after touchdown, he felt a jolt and vibrations in the rudder pedals. He maintained the aircraft centered on the runway and applied brakes, bringing it to a stop within the first third of the runway, about 350 meters from the threshold. The pilot was uninjured and exited the aircraft unaided; the aircraft sustained damage to the nose landing gear.
Aircraft and Impact Examination
The aircraft, manufactured in 2016 with serial number 256/2017, had accumulated 480 hours at the time of the accident. The last inspection (100-hour and annual) was performed on September 22, 2020, with no discrepancies noted. The aircraft was within weight and balance limits at takeoff. Weather conditions were reported as suitable for visual flight rules, with variable wind around 5 knots from the northwest and good visibility.
Post-accident inspection revealed the nose gear fork (support) was fractured and separated from the nose gear leg, and the nose wheel and fairing had detached. Drag marks from the nose gear were visible on the runway. The teleflex cable for nose wheel steering was found cut. Microscopic examination of the cable showed an instantaneous cut with no evidence of fatigue or corrosion, indicating that the cut resulted from stress concentration caused by tension cycles experienced during aircraft operations and maneuvers. The main landing gear, brakes, tires, engine, flight controls, and their respective systems were found free of defects.
Findings and Probable Cause
The investigation concluded that the nose gear failure was due to the fracture of the nose wheel fork and the severing of the nose wheel steering teleflex cable. These failures were caused by stress concentration from repeated tension cycles during the aircraft's service life. No other contributing factors were identified.