Incident Overview
On October 12, 2013, at 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-31P, registered as N14TG, sustained substantial damage when the nose gear separated during the landing roll at Calexico International Airport, Calexico, California. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated by Flying Bull Aviation under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated from El Cajon, California, at 1425.
Flight Details
The pilot reported setting up for a straight-in approach to runway 8. The approach was normal, and the prelanding checklist was completed. The pilot targeted 90 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) for touchdown, but the airspeed was slightly fast as the airplane neared the runway. The pilot pulled the power back to idle and flared. When the pilot attempted to raise the nose, the airplane was unresponsive and settled onto the main landing gear. The nosewheel abruptly sheared off upon surface contact, causing the airplane to nose down and slide approximately 1,000 feet down the runway before coming to rest.
Pilot Observations
The pilot noted known difficulties in controlling the nose attitude in the landing configuration between 90 KIAS and the recommended landing speed of about 80 KIAS. Both speeds are above the stalling speed but insufficient for effective elevator control response.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the nose gear strut revealed that the housing was ruptured and the strut was broken. No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation was found.