Accident Details
On April 28, 2010, about 1740 mountain standard time, a Rogers Rutan Defiant 40 multi-engine airplane, N23TR, sustained substantial damage following a nose landing gear collapse during landing roll at the Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT), Phoenix, Arizona. The certificated airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan. The flight departed Ontario International Airport (ONT), Ontario, California, about 1605, with DVT as its destination.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that after turning onto base leg, he lowered the nose gear and initiated a landing check. The airplane touched down about 1,000 feet down the runway at a normal rate of descent with a slight left crab. Following initial touchdown and immediately upon placing weight on the nose gear, the nose settled and the nose gear handle quickly popped out of the down position. The airplane came to a stop left of centerline.
Examination
An FAA inspector from the Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office examined the airplane and reported that its forward-mounted rudder sustained substantial damage. On May 6, 2010, an FAA airworthiness inspector from the Fresno FSDO conducted an examination of the nose landing gear extension/retraction system. During evaluation, the inspector assessed that the gear may not have been positively down and locked, as witnessed by alignment marks. The system was operated several times; if the gear handle was not placed down firmly and hard, the alignment marks did not indicate a safe condition. The inspector stated that taxiing with sudden bounces or bumps could assist the nose gear to collapse since it was not positively down and locked.
Indicator Design
The pilot reported that the down and lock indication consisted of a mechanical alignment of arrows placed down by the right ankle. After gear swings, the nose gear could be placed in transition rather than down and locked. The indicator arrow misalignment was extremely difficult to perceive. The pilot has since redesigned the nose gear down and locked indicator for easier viewing.
Weather Conditions
At 1753, about 13 minutes after the accident, the automated surface observing system at DVT reported wind 240 degrees at 18 knots with gusts to 29 knots. A peak wind of 240 degrees at 29 knots was reported at 48 minutes past the hour, about 8 minutes after the accident.