On February 13, 1990, a Cessna 404 (registration N409EX) was involved in an aviation accident near Englewood, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot reported a nose gear collapse during the takeoff ground run at 85 knots, causing the airplane to skid along the runway before stopping.
What happened
During the takeoff ground run, the pilot reported that the nose gear collapsed while the aircraft was accelerating at approximately 85 knots. Following this mechanical failure, the airplane skidded for a distance of 2,500 feet along the surface of runway 17L. The aircraft eventually came to rest on the asphalt pavement of the runway.
The investigation
A post-accident examination was conducted to determine the cause of the incident. Investigators failed to uncover any physical evidence that would explain the reported nose gear collapse. To further assess the landing gear system, repeated tests for retraction and extension were performed. These functional checks did not duplicate the malfunction described by the pilot.