Runway condition quite poor, nosewheel sinks and collapses on beginning of takeoff roll.

Attributes
ACN	242613
Time
Date	199305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : kvl
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	242613
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	oversight : airport manager
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

On the second leg of flight XXX, I had 1 passenger on board, no freight. Previously I landed runway 30 and back-taxied runway 30 to the ramp. On the landing and back-taxi the runway seemed fine. I didn't feel any or see any soft spots other than on the middle of the taxiway, of which I avoided. For the departure I taxied to runway 30. At the end of the taxi I began to add power for the takeoff. I was using soft field takeoff procedure. With power levers 1/2 way to full, the nosewheel dug in and folded. I shut down the aircraft and evacuate/evacuationed my passenger (she indicated she was unhurt). This soft spot was hard to see from what appeared to be a recent plowing. After this incident I learned of as many as 3 pilots of twin engine planes who had trouble in the same spot. After our plane was removed the airport management dumped in gravel and bladed it over, as he probably did for the others. This left a hidden soft spot. He never reported it to flight service. I believe this should have been notamed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that his company has been working with the airport manager and the FAA to determine what was going on and to improve the situation. Runway condition had been notamed previously and then NOTAM removed. Reporter quite surprised when nosewheel sunk and broke.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY CONDITION QUITE POOR, NOSEWHEEL SINKS AND COLLAPSES ON BEGINNING OF TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: ON THE SECOND LEG OF FLT XXX, I HAD 1 PAX ON BOARD, NO FREIGHT. PREVIOUSLY I LANDED RWY 30 AND BACK-TAXIED RWY 30 TO THE RAMP. ON THE LNDG AND BACK-TAXI THE RWY SEEMED FINE. I DIDN'T FEEL ANY OR SEE ANY SOFT SPOTS OTHER THAN ON THE MIDDLE OF THE TXWY, OF WHICH I AVOIDED. FOR THE DEP I TAXIED TO RWY 30. AT THE END OF THE TAXI I BEGAN TO ADD PWR FOR THE TKOF. I WAS USING SOFT FIELD TKOF PROC. WITH PWR LEVERS 1/2 WAY TO FULL, THE NOSEWHEEL DUG IN AND FOLDED. I SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND EVACED MY PAX (SHE INDICATED SHE WAS UNHURT). THIS SOFT SPOT WAS HARD TO SEE FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RECENT PLOWING. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I LEARNED OF AS MANY AS 3 PLTS OF TWIN ENG PLANES WHO HAD TROUBLE IN THE SAME SPOT. AFTER OUR PLANE WAS REMOVED THE ARPT MGMNT DUMPED IN GRAVEL AND BLADED IT OVER, AS HE PROBABLY DID FOR THE OTHERS. THIS LEFT A HIDDEN SOFT SPOT. HE NEVER RPTED IT TO FLT SVC. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTAMED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HIS COMPANY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE ARPT MGR AND THE FAA TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TO IMPROVE THE SIT. RWY CONDITION HAD BEEN NOTAMED PREVIOUSLY AND THEN NOTAM REMOVED. RPTR QUITE SURPRISED WHEN NOSEWHEEL SUNK AND BROKE.

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.