A MERLIN GT; LNDG; EXPERIENCED A LNDG GEAR COLLAPSE.

Narrative

THE SOLE MANIPULATOR OF THE CTLRS WAS A PLT HOLDING A PVT LICENSE SINCE 1980 WHO HAD RECEIVED APPROX 12 HRS PREVIOUSLY (WITHIN THE LAST YR) IN AN AERONCA CHAMP WHILE SEEKING HIS TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT. THE PVT PLT'S BFR WAS EXPIRED ON THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT. THE PVT PLT DID NOT HAVE A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT ON THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT. THIS WAS THE PVT PLT'S FIRST FLT IN HIS MERLIN GT EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. THE CERTIFIED FLT INSTRUCTOR HELD A CURRENT BFR; SECOND CLASS FLT PHYSICAL AND RELEVANT ENDORSEMENTS. THE CFI WAS THE PIC. THE FLT WX WAS CAVU WITH WINDS 350 DEGS AT 4 KTS. RWY 36 WAS IN USE. THE MERLIN GT (1996) HAS TOE BRAKES ON THE L-HAND (PLT) SIDE CTLS. THERE ARE NO BRAKES ON THE R-HAND CTLS. THE PVT PLT MADE A NORMAL APCH TO RWY 36 USING A L-HAND PATTERN. THE PVT PLT MAINTAINED APPROPRIATE AIRSPD AND ACFT CTL DURING THE DOWNWIND; BASE AND FINAL APCH. THE PVT PLT HELD APPROPRIATE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE ON THE FLARE ANTICIPATING A 3-POINT; FULL-STALL LNDG. AS THE R MAIN GEAR TOUCHED THE GND FIRST AND IMMEDIATELY COLLAPSED; THE WHEEL BRAKE APPARENTLY LOCKED. UPON THE COLLAPSE OF THE R MAIN GEAR; THE L MAIN ALSO COLLAPSED. THE ACFT STOPPED SKIDDING PERHAPS 200 FT DOWN THE RWY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE PVT PLT MAINTAINS HE DID NOT HAVE HIS FEET ON THE TOE BRAKES DURING THE APCH. NEVERTHELESS; THE R TOE BRAKE WAS LOCKED ON LNDG WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE LNDG GEAR. THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKING SYS IS AWKWARD IN REGARDS TO THE EFFECTIVE USE OF THE TOE BRAKES. A REDESIGNING OF THE TOE BRAKING SYS MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.