What happened
While taxiing off the runway at Dilling h, Alaska, the flight crew heard a popping and grinding sound. Due to this mechanical issue, the aircraft was subsequently ferried to Anchorage with the nose gear pinned in the down position. Upon touchdown in Anchorage, the nose gear separated from the airplane.
The investigation
A metallurgical examination of the affected components, specifically the nose landing gear inner cylinder, revealed that the inner cylinder had separated near the lower end close to the tire axles. Visual examination of the fracture surface using a bench binocular microscope showed features characteristic of an overstress separation. These findings included chevron marks across the majority of the fracture surface and a 45-degree fracture plane. Records indicated there were no hard landings for the aircraft during the previous 12-month period.