A STING SPORT LIGHT SPORT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TAXI AS THE ACFT WAS TURNING 180 DEGS ON THE RWY. PROPELLER; COWL; AND ENG MOUNT DAMAGE RESULTED.

Narrative

THE LIGHT SPORT ACFT WAS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLT WITH THE PLT AND ONE PAX ABOARD. A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RWY. THE PLT INITIATED A 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY TO ACCESS A TXWY. MIDWAY THROUGH THE TURN; THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE NOSE OF THE ACFT FELL TO THE RWY DESTROYING THE PROP AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SPINNER; BACKING PLATE; AND LOWER ENG COWLING. INITIAL ASSESSMENT INDICATES THAT THE NOSE STRUT FAILED UNDER SIDE LOAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PLT OR PAX. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OTHER THAN THE AFFECTED ACFT. THE WRITER HAS RECEIVED ANECDOTAL RPTS FROM A MAINT PROVIDER THAT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS TO THE OTHER STING SPORT LSA'S. THE DISTRIBUTOR OF THE ACFT ADVISED THAT THREE SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED OUT OF FIFTY STING SPORT LSA'S ON THE US REGISTRY. NOSE GEAR DESIGN ON THE STING SPORT LSA MAY BE DEFICIENT OR MANUFACTURING ERROR MAY HAVE OCCURRED.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT THE EVENT INDICATES A NOSE GEAR COMPONENT FAILURE. THE REPORTER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE IS NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE THAT PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS BUT BECAUSE OF THE ACFT'S OPERATION AT THE TIME OF THE COLLAPSE AND PREVIOUS EVENTS WITH THIS ACFT TYPE HE BELIEVES A COMPONENT WEAKNESS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE.