On May 31, 1982, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N9655T) operated by Stanford Aviation, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Ft. Pierce, FL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot reported nose gear collapse during takeoff roll after applying back pressure for climb at 60-62 knots. Investigation revealed a hard landing three weeks earlier; propeller and engine mount were replaced but no landing gear repair logged.
Event Description
According to the student pilot, the nose gear collapsed during the takeoff roll after he applied back pressure to achieve a climb attitude at approximately 60 to 62 knots. The pilot stated that the aircraft did not want to climb, and simultaneously, the nose dropped.
Investigation Findings
An investigation revealed that the airplane had been involved in a hard landing approximately three weeks prior to the incident. Following that hard landing, the propeller and engine mount had been replaced. However, no logbook entry was found documenting any repair to the landing gear system. An examination of the landing gear fracture did not show evidence of corrosion, fatigue, or previous cracking.