An ultralight pilot had his nose gear fail when he taxied off of the runway.

Attributes
ACN	212405
Time
Date	199206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Ultralight
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	212405
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground less severe other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On jun/thu/92, after a brief flight from salisbury-wicomico airport, my passenger and I landed at approximately XA20. This type of aircraft is a 2 seat ultralight type that is registered. This aircraft has no brakes on the main gear and it has a castering nosewheel. I came to almost a complete stop on the active and to start my turn on the taxiway, I throttled up to blast the rudder so I could make the turn. I made it approximately 25 ft onto the taxiway when I lost my steering control and the aircraft ran off the taxiway and onto the grass. At the instant I hit the grass, the nosewheel broke off and I stopped within 10 ft. After exiting the aircraft, I noticed that the castering nosewheel housing for the bearing had failed which led me to lose directional control and run into the grass, thus breaking the nosewheel completely loose. There were no personal injuries or property damage other than the broken nosewheel in this case. This aircraft is an ultralight 2 seat ultralight kit that I built and have been flying since 1983. After investigating the broken nosewheel, I have decided to do away with the cast metal housing for the bearing which I believe is too brittle and I will be building a stronger nosewheel castering mechanism which I will feel more comfortable with. If you have any questions, please call. Thank you for your time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ULTRALIGHT PLT HAD HIS NOSE GEAR FAIL WHEN HE TAXIED OFF OF THE RWY.

Narrative: ON JUN/THU/92, AFTER A BRIEF FLT FROM SALISBURY-WICOMICO ARPT, MY PAX AND I LANDED AT APPROX XA20. THIS TYPE OF ACFT IS A 2 SEAT ULTRALIGHT TYPE THAT IS REGISTERED. THIS ACFT HAS NO BRAKES ON THE MAIN GEAR AND IT HAS A CASTERING NOSEWHEEL. I CAME TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP ON THE ACTIVE AND TO START MY TURN ON THE TAXIWAY, I THROTTLED UP TO BLAST THE RUDDER SO I COULD MAKE THE TURN. I MADE IT APPROX 25 FT ONTO THE TAXIWAY WHEN I LOST MY STEERING CTL AND THE ACFT RAN OFF THE TAXIWAY AND ONTO THE GRASS. AT THE INSTANT I HIT THE GRASS, THE NOSEWHEEL BROKE OFF AND I STOPPED WITHIN 10 FT. AFTER EXITING THE ACFT, I NOTICED THAT THE CASTERING NOSEWHEEL HOUSING FOR THE BEARING HAD FAILED WHICH LED ME TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL CTL AND RUN INTO THE GRASS, THUS BREAKING THE NOSEWHEEL COMPLETELY LOOSE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE BROKEN NOSEWHEEL IN THIS CASE. THIS ACFT IS AN ULTRALIGHT 2 SEAT ULTRALIGHT KIT THAT I BUILT AND HAVE BEEN FLYING SINCE 1983. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE BROKEN NOSEWHEEL, I HAVE DECIDED TO DO AWAY WITH THE CAST METAL HOUSING FOR THE BEARING WHICH I BELIEVE IS TOO BRITTLE AND I WILL BE BUILDING A STRONGER NOSEWHEEL CASTERING MECHANISM WHICH I WILL FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

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.