Accident Overview
On 22 September 2012 at 0930 UTC, a Beechcraft 33 Debonair (registration N35SN, serial number not specified) sustained damage during landing at Perranporth Airfield in Cornwall. The aircraft was manufactured in 1960 and powered by a single Continental IO-470-J piston engine. The flight was a private trip from Old Sarum.
Pilot and Weather Conditions
The sole occupant, a 49-year-old male pilot holding a Private Pilot's Licence, reported 463 hours total flying experience, with 203 hours on type. His recent flying included 9 hours in the last 90 days and 5 hours in the last 28 days. The weather was fine with a 15 kt easterly wind.
Sequence of Events
The pilot made a normal approach to Runway 09. Both a green light and a mechanical indicator confirmed the landing gear was locked down. After touchdown, as the pilot lowered the nose, he heard and felt an impact. He immediately applied back pressure on the control column to keep the nose off the runway, while steering with rudder and brakes. Eventually, the nose dropped fully to the ground, and the aircraft slid to a halt on the runway, approximately 45° offset from the centreline.
Post-Accident Observations
The pilot, uninjured, secured the aircraft and vacated it by going forward from the cabin door and over the wing, as the rear step was too high off the ground. Damage was limited to the nose landing gear, lower forward fuselage, and propeller. A knowledgeable witness in the control tower observed the landing gear down prior to landing and saw the nose gear collapse after a short ground roll.
Investigation Status
The pilot reported that the nose landing gear had suffered a mechanical failure. The reason for the failure of the nose landing gear has yet to be established.