On May 10, 1985, a Cessna 421 (registration N888K) operated by Km&d Energy Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Mckinney, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The soft asphalt on the runway had not been rolled or packed sufficiently to support the weight of the aircraft, leading to the nose wheel bogging down and causing the nose gear to collapse. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After landing, an aircraft's nose wheel bogged down in soft runway asphalt, causing the nose gear to collapse and resulting in substantial damage.
Event Description
Following a landing, an aircraft was taxiing on the runway when its nose wheel began sinking into soft asphalt. The asphalt, which had not been sufficiently rolled or packed, was pushed forward in front of the wheel, building up resistance. This resistance eventually overstressed the nose gear, causing it to collapse. The aircraft's nose then struck the runway surface.
Damage
The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. No further details on the extent or specific components damaged were provided.
Cause
Investigation determined that the asphalt on the runway had not been rolled or packed enough to support the weight of the aircraft, leading to the nose wheel bogging down and subsequent nose gear failure.
Probable cause
The soft asphalt on the runway had not been rolled or packed sufficiently to support the weight of the aircraft, leading to the nose wheel bogging down and causing the nose gear to collapse.