On March 16, 1990, a Cessna 175 (registration N7555M) operated by Hewinns, Stanley O. was involved in an aviation accident near Derby, KS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the nose gear yoke during the takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A nose wheel shimmy and subsequent structural failure of the nose gear yoke caused the aircraft to drop its nose during takeoff, resulting in substantial damage to the propeller and cowling.
What happened
During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that the nose wheel began to shimmy and vibrate. This was followed by a loud popping noise, after which the nose of the aircraft dropped down. The incident resulted in substantial damage to the propeller, cowling, and firewall.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection revealed that the nose gear yoke had broken off.
Probable cause
The failure of the nose gear yoke during the takeoff roll.