On June 14, 1985, a Beech C-23 (registration N6020U) was involved in an aviation accident near Wilmington, NC. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot on a cross-country flight experienced a nose gear separation during landing. After multiple go-arounds and a low pass, the aircraft veered off the runway on the final landing.
Incident Overview
During a cross-country flight, a student pilot was performing a landing at the second airport when a tower controller observed the aircraft bounce on the runway. The controller subsequently spotted the nose gear lying on the runway surface. An emergency locator transmitter signal was also received at that time.
Sequence of Events
Following the observation, the student pilot executed a go-around. The pilot then performed a low pass over the runway so that Civil Air Patrol (CFR) personnel could inspect the aircraft for additional damage. The pilot was advised to conduct a soft field landing and to shut down all systems before lowering the nose gear.
Final Landing
The pilot attempted a landing but initiated another go-around. On the subsequent attempt, the landing was successful; however, the aircraft veered off the side of the runway.