NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED DURING LNDG ROLL ON SMA TWIN ENG TRAINING ACFT DUE TO A CRACKED BOLT DURING A PLT MULTI ENG CERTIFICATION CHK RIDE.

Narrative

THE FAA DESIGNATED PLT EXAMINER AND I HAD JUST COMPLETED MY CHKRIDE FOR THE ADDITION OF A MULTI-ENG INST RATING TO MY COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. THE ACFT BEING FLOWN WAS AN SMA. WE TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY AT ABOUT 78-80 KTS AND ROLLED APPROX 400 FT WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. I KEPT THE ACFT ON THE RWY CTRLINE AND SECURED THE ENGS; FUEL; AND ELECTRICAL SYS WHILE WE ROLLED TO A STOP. WE BOTH EXITED THE ACFT WITH NO INJURIES. WE LOOKED INTO PART 830 OF THE NTSB REGS AND DETERMINED THIS TO BE AN 'INCIDENT.' DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE PROP BLADES; LNDG GEAR DOORS; NOSE CONE AND THE NOSE GEAR ITSELF. IT WAS MY DETERMINATION THAT THIS WAS AN 'INCIDENT' AND NOT AN 'ACCIDENT' AND THEREFORE DID NOT REQUIRE 'IMMEDIATE' NOTIFICATION. I DID PLAN ON NOTIFYING THE FAA AND/OR NTSB WITHIN THE 10 DAYS SPECIFIED; HOWEVER; I WAS WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM AN AVIATION ATTORNEY AS TO HOW TO APCH THIS. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS HANDLED PROPERLY; PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THE HORROR STORIES I READ IN AVIATION PUBS RELATING TO THE FAA AS PROSECTOR; JUDGE AND JURY. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DUE TO A CRACKED BOLT AND THE FAA EXAMINER HAS ATTESTED TO THE LNDG AS BEING A 'GOOD ONE.' I WAS AWARDED MY NEW RATING DESPITE THE INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD THAT I DID AN EXCELLENT JOB HANDLING THE SIT. THE PROB IS THAT MY EXAMINER WAS PHONED TODAY BY THE LCL FSDO AND CHASTISED FOR NOT RPTING THE INCIDENT. I SPOKE WITH THE FSDO TODAY AND AM WORRIED ABOUT NOT RPTING THIS EVENT IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. THE GENTLEMAN AT THE FSDO SAID THIS DELAY IN RPTING MAKES THE SIT LOOK 'FISHY.'