Incident Overview
A pilot arriving at an aircraft observed that the nose gear strut was under-inflated. The pilot, who was undergoing training to become an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic, diagnosed the issue as an oil leak. Despite identifying the problem, the pilot chose to inflate the strut with air only and proceeded with the flight to avoid aborting it.
Landing and Collapse
During landing in a strong crosswind, the nose strut collapsed, causing the aircraft to wheelbarrow. The propeller tips and the right wing tip scraped against the runway surface. The grounding resulted in minor damage to the aircraft.
Outcome
No injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained minor damage from the propeller and wing tip contact with the runway. The pilot's decision to use only air inflation, rather than addressing the oil leak, preceded the strut failure during the crosswind landing.