What happened
The student pilot was conducting practice takeoffs and landings when the airplane experienced an abrupt directional control issue at the moment of touchdown. As the wheels made contact with the runway surface, the aircraft swerved sharply to the left. The pilot was unable to maintain runway alignment, resulting in the airplane veering off the paved surface. The force of the deviation caused the nose gear to collapse, leading to a nose-over attitude for the aircraft.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed the mechanical root cause of the directional instability. Investigators found that the centering locking lug on the nose landing gear was significantly worn. This component is critical for maintaining the nose wheel's straight-ahead position during ground operations. Because of the wear, the mechanism failed to keep the nose wheel aligned, allowing it to cock or turn unexpectedly at the instant of touchdown.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the mechanical failure of the nose landing gear system. The worn centering locking lug permitted the nose wheel to deviate from its centered position during the critical phase of landing. This uncommanded steering input caused the abrupt left swerve, loss of runway contact, and subsequent structural damage from the nose-over event.