Incident Overview
On 25 April 2002 at 1020Z, a Mooney M20J aircraft, registration ZS-OBV, was involved in an incident during take-off at Port Alfred Aerodrome. The flight was a private operation with one pilot and one passenger on board. The aircraft was departing from Runway 28.
Sequence of Events
After completing pre-take-off checks, the pilot lined up on Runway 28 and commenced the take-off roll. Engine temperature and pressure were within normal limits, and the engine was producing full power. Approximately 75 metres into the take-off roll, the nose gear collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the ground. The aircraft skidded a further 13 metres before coming to rest on the runway.
Aircraft Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear, nose cowling, propeller, and nose bay doors. There was no structural damage to the rest of the airframe. Both the pilot and passenger were uninjured.
Probable Cause
The incident was attributed to the collapse of the nose gear due to failure of the nose gear retraction truss during the take-off roll.