SMA TWIN SUFFERS ACFT DAMAGE WHEN NOSE GEAR COLLAPSES DURING LNDG PROC ROLLOUT.
Synopsis
SMA TWIN SUFFERS ACFT DAMAGE WHEN NOSE GEAR COLLAPSES DURING LNDG PROC ROLLOUT.
Narrative
ON LNDG AT SUN VALLEY ARPT (SUN); LOCATED IN HAILEY; ID; ALUMINUM FORK ATTACHMENT TO NOSEWHEEL OF 19XX SMA MODEL TWIN; BROKE; CAUSING NOSEWHEEL TO FALL OFF AND ACFT TO LAND ON NOSEWHEEL STRUT. PROPS AND NOSEWHEEL MECHANISM DAMAGED BY CONTACT WITH RWY; BUT NO OTHER DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME STRUCTURE. PLT WAS FLYING ALONE WITH NO BAGGAGE; AND ACFT WAS WELL UNDER GROSS WT. LNDG WAS WITH TAILWIND OF APPROX 8 KTS; BUT THIS IS COMMON AT SUN WHERE LNDGS ARE USUALLY MADE FROM THE S ON RWY 31. SUN IS PLT'S HOME ARPT; AND PLT HAS MADE NUMEROUS LNDGS THERE UNDER WORSE CONDITIONS. THIS WAS A BORROWED ACFT THAT PLT HAD FREQUENTLY FLOWN. OP OF NOSE GEAR WAS NORMAL ON TAXI AND TKOF AT REDMOND; OR (RDM) FOR THIS FLT; AND ON APCH AT SUN. NO BLOWOUT OR IMPACT TRAUMA FOUND ON SEPARATED NOSEWHEEL AND TIRE. PLT LEARNED AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT NOSE TIRE HAD BEEN REPLACED 30-60 DAYS EARLIER AFTER BLOWOUT DURING HARD NOSEWHEEL LNDG. THEREFORE; PLT SUSPECTS PREEXISTING METAL FATIGUE AND/OR UNDETECTED CRACK IN NOSEWHEEL FORK. NOSEWHEEL FORK WILL BE ANALYZED TO VERIFY THIS. NO INJURIES INVOLVED. WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO PLT ON TOUCHDOWN THAT NOSE GEAR HAD FAILED; ENGS WERE IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN; AND ALL ELECTRICAL AND FUEL SWITCHES WERE TURNED OFF. ACFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RWY; RIDING ON ITS WHEEL-LESS NOSEWHEEL STRUT. THIS CAUSED SPARKS BUT NO FIRE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.