Small aircraft twin nosegear collapse at landing.

Attributes
ACN	128156
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	128156
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My flight instructor and myself experienced a nose gear collapse in training aircraft. We had already completed one pattern without problem, and started our second circuit. As I was trained, I brought the gear down on downwind and set up 100 KTS, 10 degree flaps. The instructor and I both confirmed 3-GREEN and he checked gear on his nacelle mirror. We again checked the gear with a gumps (gas, undercarriage, mixture, propellers, seatbelts) check on base to final, and a third check with a god (gear one down) check on short final. In each circumstance we always both confirmed 3-GREEN and he checked the nacelle mirror. All indications were normal, and no gear horn sounded as I reduced power on final. It was a normal touchdown on the main gear first, and as the nose came down with gravity it paused momentarily before falling to the tarmac and skidding against the ground. At this time the instructor increased and maintained back pressure until the airplane stopped. He then secured the autoplt (full off, etc) before we exited. I feel the accident occurred due to faulty equipment due to poor maintenance. The same situation occurred 1 1/2 yrs ago at the same flight school.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TWIN NOSEGEAR COLLAPSE AT LNDG.

Narrative: MY FLT INSTRUCTOR AND MYSELF EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE IN TRAINING ACFT. WE HAD ALREADY COMPLETED ONE PATTERN WITHOUT PROBLEM, AND STARTED OUR SECOND CIRCUIT. AS I WAS TRAINED, I BROUGHT THE GEAR DOWN ON DOWNWIND AND SET UP 100 KTS, 10 DEG FLAPS. THE INSTRUCTOR AND I BOTH CONFIRMED 3-GREEN AND HE CHECKED GEAR ON HIS NACELLE MIRROR. WE AGAIN CHECKED THE GEAR WITH A GUMPS (GAS, UNDERCARRIAGE, MIXTURE, PROPELLERS, SEATBELTS) CHECK ON BASE TO FINAL, AND A THIRD CHECK WITH A GOD (GEAR ONE DOWN) CHECK ON SHORT FINAL. IN EACH CIRCUMSTANCE WE ALWAYS BOTH CONFIRMED 3-GREEN AND HE CHECKED THE NACELLE MIRROR. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL, AND NO GEAR HORN SOUNDED AS I REDUCED POWER ON FINAL. IT WAS A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR FIRST, AND AS THE NOSE CAME DOWN WITH GRAVITY IT PAUSED MOMENTARILY BEFORE FALLING TO THE TARMAC AND SKIDDING AGAINST THE GND. AT THIS TIME THE INSTRUCTOR INCREASED AND MAINTAINED BACK PRESSURE UNTIL THE AIRPLANE STOPPED. HE THEN SECURED THE AUTOPLT (FULL OFF, ETC) BEFORE WE EXITED. I FEEL THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO FAULTY EQUIPMENT DUE TO POOR MAINT. THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED 1 1/2 YRS AGO AT THE SAME FLT SCHOOL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.