Accident Description
A student pilot was performing touch and go landings. Shortly after the third landing, the airplane veered left and struck a taxiway sign. The impact caused the nose landing gear to separate from the airframe, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and found that the upper scissor bolt, cotter pin, and castle nut were missing. Winding tire marks were observed on the runway prior to the point where the airplane veered off. An airframe and power plant (A&P) mechanic subsequently examined the nose landing gear and found no damage to the scissor flange or the scissor itself. The upper scissor flange bolt was not recovered, and no evidence indicated that the bolt was in place at the time of separation.
Maintenance History
The airplane had undergone an annual inspection 17 days before the accident flight. A visual examination of the nose landing gear was performed during that inspection, but no maintenance was required. The airplane accumulated 18 hours of flight time between the annual inspection and the accident.