Factual Account
On January 7, 2019, at 16:14 UTC, a Cessna 182 aircraft registered LV-FZY, operated by a private owner, was conducting a training flight. The aircraft had departed from General Rodríguez aerodrome with destination Astor Piazzolla International Airport in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires.
Sequence of Events
After landing on runway 13, the pilot requested and received authorization to perform a 180-degree turn on the runway to shorten the taxi distance. During the turn, the pilot perceived increasing vibrations until the nose landing gear collapsed and the propeller made contact with the runway surface. The pilot egressed unharmed.
Aircraft and Damage
The Cessna 182 sustained substantial damage, particularly to the nose landing gear fork, propeller, and engine. There were no injuries; the sole occupant (the pilot) was uninjured.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that the nose landing gear fork had fractured in both arms due to fatigue cracking. The cracks initiated and propagated under normal service loads, eventually leading to a sudden ductile fracture. No prior maintenance records indicated work on the affected part, nor were there records of hard landings. The fracture of the fork allowed the nose gear to collapse, causing the propeller to strike the runway.