What happened
On May 28, 2018, at approximately 1300 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182 bearing registration N68AX was performing a full-stop landing at Yeringment Municipal Airport (O43) in Yerington, Nevada. The pilot had previously completed several uneventful landings at the airport before attempting the final landing.
According to the pilot, the main wheels touched down normally. However, as soon as the nose wheel contacted the asphalt, the aircraft veered sharply to the left. The airplane exited the improved runway surface and entered an area of soft sand. During the excursion, the nose wheel separated from the fuselage, causing the aircraft to nose over. The accident resulted in no injuries to the pilot or the pilot-rated passenger, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, rudder, and vertical stabilizer.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 030 degrees at 8 knots.
The investigation
Investigators were unable to perform a mechanical examination of the aircraft because the wreckage was disposed of without the knowledge or consent of the NTSB. Consequently, it could not be determined if a mechanical malfunction contributed to the event.