SMA TWIN HAS NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE ON LNDG.

Narrative

THE FLT WAS A FAMILIARIZATION RIDE IN A TWIN SMA AS PART OF A CHKOUT. THE STUDENT WAS A CAPT FOR A MAJOR AIRLINE. THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY UNTIL THE FIRST OF A PLANNED SERIES OF PRACTICE LNDGS. THE PATTERN AND FINAL APCH WERE ENTIRELY NORMAL. I PERSONALLY CHKED ALL GEAR 'DOWN AND LOCKED' LIGHTS 4 TIMES. THEY WERE '3 GREEN' EACH TIME. ADDITIONALLY; I VISUALLY CONFIRMED THE NOSE GEAR DOWN WITH THE MIRROR MOUNTED ON THE L ENG NACELLE. THE FINAL APCH; LNDG FLARE; AND TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL. WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN IT COLLAPSED. THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CONTACTED THE SURFACE AND THE PLANE SKIDDED TO A HALT. THE STUDENT; WHO HAD FLOWN THE ENTIRE APCH AND LNDG; AND I EGRESSED THE ACFT WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HUMAN FACTORS PLAYED ANY CONTRIBUTING ROLE IN THIS INCIDENT. I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THE TWIN SMA SERIES HAS EXPERIENCED A HISTORY OF NOSE GEAR PROBLEMS. IF SO; PERHAPS MORE FREQUENT INSPECTIONS OF THE NOSE GEAR MECHANISM WOULD BE WARRANTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 223584. THE CRASH CREW ARRIVED IMMEDIATELY AND WE ADVISED THEM THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED AND THE MAIN GEAR WERE BOTH DOWN AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS COLLAPSED. BOTH L AND R ENG PROPS WERE DAMAGED. EVEN WITH THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE FACT THAT MAX BRAKING HAD BEEN USED NONE OF THE TIRES WERE BLOWN.