Accident Overview
On May 3, 2022, at approximately 1948 central daylight time, a Vans RV-6A, registration N5060, was involved in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage.
Flight Sequence
The pilot reported entering a downwind leg for a left traffic pattern to runway 15. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, the pilot reduced engine power to idle. Shortly thereafter, the main landing gear touched down onto the runway surface. The airplane slowed, and when the nosewheel contacted the runway, the airplane abruptly lurched to the side. It subsequently exited the runway surface, struck a berm, and came to rest in a nose-down attitude.
Damage and Wreckage
The firewall, left wing, and rudder sustained substantial damage. The airplane came to rest approximately 450 feet north of the Bravo taxiway and about 625 feet east of the centerline of runway 15, near the airport perimeter fence. Ground scars between the runway and the airplane were not continuous, indicating the aircraft did not slide directly from the runway to its final position.
Postaccident Examination
The airplane was recovered to a facility for further examination. The bolts securing the nosegear to the strut were found fractured. The nosegear strut was wedged in place but could rotate. A postaccident examination of the flight controls and landing gear revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.