Accident Overview
On 27 February 2023, at approximately 1500 local time, the nose landing gear (NLG) of a United States Air Force T-38A Talon, tail number 67-14831, collapsed while the aircraft was inside a hangar at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The aircraft was temporarily located there for routine maintenance, having been washed and repainted over the prior 10 days. The collapse pinned a civilian maintainer (MM), an employee of M1 Support Services, underneath the nose section. The MM was hospitalized with multiple bone fractures and other injuries after spending several days in the hospital. The aircraft sustained $116,715 in damages.
Events Leading to the Collapse
Earlier that day, between 0715 and 0800 local, the aircraft was towed from the corrosion facility to the M1 maintenance hangar. Technical Orders require post-wash maintenance procedures before flight release. The MM was assigned to assist with these tasks, including lubrication of the NLG assembly. While performing lubrication, the nose collapsed.
The MM stated he most likely removed the NLG safety pin before applying lubrication. The safety pin locks the gear in the down position to prevent inadvertent retraction. With the pin removed, the force exerted during lubrication was sufficient to unlock the landing gear, causing retraction and collapse.
Cause
The Accident Investigation Board President found, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the cause of the mishap was the removal of the NLG safety pin combined with the forces exerted on the NLG assembly by the MM during the lubrication task. Additionally, the MM's repeated deviation from standard operating procedures substantially contributed to the mishap, as actions leading up to the accident showed a trend of divergence from applicable guidance.