Small transport flight crew has nose wheel collapse on landing.

Attributes
ACN	153683
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dvt
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 720 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	153683
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 285 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 510
ASRS Report	153675
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Normal landing on runway 25L at deer valley. Gear extended over digital (VFR chkpoint), green light confirmed on downwind and short final. Touched down on mains normally, nose wheel collapsed as it touched, propellers struck and aircraft scraped to a stop on nose. In retrospect, we had heard a strange pop or snap on retracting gear during a prior takeoff that day. Cycling the gear after that takeoff appeared normal and made 2 touch and go lndgs after incident of pop west/O problem. Then went to deer valley (home base) for full stop landing when incident occurred. We have owned this aircraft since 7/90. Prior to our owning it, it was used for student instructions for several months. Question if hard landing or nose wheel landing during that time might have injured gear. On inspection after incident above nose wheel retract, extension rod was found to be fractured causing gear failure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT FLT CREW HAS NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSE ON LNDG.

Narrative: NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 25L AT DEER VALLEY. GEAR EXTENDED OVER DIGITAL (VFR CHKPOINT), GREEN LIGHT CONFIRMED ON DOWNWIND AND SHORT FINAL. TOUCHED DOWN ON MAINS NORMALLY, NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED AS IT TOUCHED, PROPS STRUCK AND ACFT SCRAPED TO A STOP ON NOSE. IN RETROSPECT, WE HAD HEARD A STRANGE POP OR SNAP ON RETRACTING GEAR DURING A PRIOR TKOF THAT DAY. CYCLING THE GEAR AFTER THAT TKOF APPEARED NORMAL AND MADE 2 TOUCH AND GO LNDGS AFTER INCIDENT OF POP W/O PROB. THEN WENT TO DEER VALLEY (HOME BASE) FOR FULL STOP LNDG WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED. WE HAVE OWNED THIS ACFT SINCE 7/90. PRIOR TO OUR OWNING IT, IT WAS USED FOR STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. QUESTION IF HARD LNDG OR NOSE WHEEL LNDG DURING THAT TIME MIGHT HAVE INJURED GEAR. ON INSPECTION AFTER INCIDENT ABOVE NOSE WHEEL RETRACT, EXTENSION ROD WAS FOUND TO BE FRACTURED CAUSING GEAR FAILURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.