What happened
During the landing phase, the aircraft initially touched down on its main landing gear. After rolling a short distance along the runway, the pilot lowered the nose wheel until it made contact with the surface. Immediately following the nose wheel touchdown, the aircraft pitched forward, resulting in the collapse of all landing gear components.
The investigation
Post-accident examination focused on the structural integrity of the landing gear assembly. Investigators discovered that the top actuator bracket of the right main landing gear had broken and separated from its attachment point. Visible rust deposits were identified at the site of a cold-welded joint. Additionally, the upper drag link of the nose gear was found to be rusted and fractured.
Further inspection of maintenance records for the right main landing gear revealed that the top actuator bracket did not meet original manufacturer design standards. The investigation determined that the repair performed on the component was improper, as the bracket had been cold-welded to the mount instead of being replaced according to manufacturer recommendations.