What happened
A private pilot was operating a general aviation aircraft on a short, non-radio equipped night flight. The flight proceeded without incident until the final phase of operation. During the landing roll after touchdown, the nose gear wheel assembly detached from the airframe. The separation occurred while the aircraft was still on the ground, effectively ending the flight.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed the root cause of the mechanical failure. Investigators found that incorrect nuts had been installed on the wheel assembly hardware. This maintenance error was traced back to the last annual inspection performed on the aircraft. That specific inspection had been conducted eighteen months prior to the date of the accident, indicating a significant lapse in the standard maintenance cycle.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the installation of improper nuts during the previous maintenance event. This hardware error compromised the integrity of the nose gear wheel assembly under landing loads. The gap between the last annual inspection and the accident date suggests that the defect remained undetected for an extended period.