Accident Details
On May 23, 2023, at approximately 0946 eastern daylight time, a Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registration N165CT, was substantially damaged during a landing accident at Richmond Field Airport (69G) in Gregory, Michigan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Landing Sequence
The pilot reported that after a 40-minute flight, he overflew the airport to familiarize himself with the area and the condition of the turf runway before entering a left traffic pattern for runway 36. The automated weather observing system indicated the wind was nearly calm. He flew the final approach at the “appropriate speed with 40 degrees of flaps” extended. During the landing, the nose landing gear gently bounced after touchdown, then the nose collapsed, and the airplane nosed over.
Damage and Examination
The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted that the nose landing gear strut was found separated at the fork. A flight control continuity check was completed and no anomalies were found. Photographs of the airplane revealed that the fuselage and empennage sustained substantial damage. A metallurgical examination of the nose landing gear rotation unit showed that the fracture surfaces were consistent with shear overstress.
Maintenance History
A review of the maintenance logbooks indicated that the nose landing gear had been replaced two previous times due to hard landing events. No anomalies were noted with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded wind at the time of the accident was from 140° at 4 knots.