Background
The private pilot, who also held a mechanic's certificate with inspection authorization, was landing the airplane after a ferry flight. The aircraft had been involved in a previous accident (reported under ANC99LA155).
Accident Sequence
Immediately after touchdown, the nose wheel began to vibrate. The nose gear assembly subsequently collapsed, and the engine firewall—to which the temporary nose gear assembly had been attached—sustained substantial damage.
Post-Accident Inspection
Inspection by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed that a nose landing gear assembly intended for an earlier model Cessna 182 had been installed on the airplane. This assembly was not equipped with a shimmy damper, nor did it have provisions for connection to the steering bungees. Additionally, a doubler had been installed on the previously damaged firewall to provide mounting structure for the nose gear assembly.
Previous Damage
Review of photographs taken at the site of the first accident indicated that, prior to the ferry flight, the airplane had substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and left elevator—including the outboard 4 inches of the elevator missing, along with the left elevator tip counterweight. Damage was also noted to the tail cone, empennage, and lower engine cowling.
FAA Actions
The FAA issued a ferry permit for the airplane to conduct the flight. However, the FAA did not inspect the airplane nor verify the extent of damage that existed before the flight occurred. The last annual inspection on the airplane was performed on July 18, 1997, 26 months before the first accident.