Narrative:

We were under tampa approach assigned 3500. Handed off to pie tower and instructed right base for runway 9 and began our descent to 1600 ft. On arriving at 1600 slowed airplane to 120 KTS and lowered gear. Got 2 lights on main gear and none on nosewheel. Tested light and visually observed a green. At same time turned final to land. Landed normally and touched mains first, lowered nose and began roll about 50 ft then nosewheel collapsed. Panel instruments now indicate no light for nosewheel but mains are on. Skidded about 700 ft before stopping. Test several gear and lights function properly. There has been a subsequent safety alert from the FAA on this aircraft for similar problems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that small aircraft has apparently had problems and the alert was issued after his incident, in jan of 1994. It is AC4316. Reporter upset that his aircraft had not been checked properly at the annual inspection in october. There is a nose lock spring which was not properly lubed and serviced, consequently the down lock spring was jammed and would not move into position. The bulletin states that the nosewheel lock spring should be properly lubed and serviced at each annual and every time the cowling is lowered it should be checked. The maintenance shop reporter used has gone out of business. Reporter participated in the inspection after the incident and stated he touched the area where the lock spring is located and the lubricant was like gum. His fingers just stuck to it. No wonder the spring could not move to lock position.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NOSE GEAR COLLAPSES ON LNDG ROLL.

Narrative: WE WERE UNDER TAMPA APCH ASSIGNED 3500. HANDED OFF TO PIE TWR AND INSTRUCTED R BASE FOR RWY 9 AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT TO 1600 FT. ON ARRIVING AT 1600 SLOWED AIRPLANE TO 120 KTS AND LOWERED GEAR. GOT 2 LIGHTS ON MAIN GEAR AND NONE ON NOSEWHEEL. TESTED LIGHT AND VISUALLY OBSERVED A GREEN. AT SAME TIME TURNED FINAL TO LAND. LANDED NORMALLY AND TOUCHED MAINS FIRST, LOWERED NOSE AND BEGAN ROLL ABOUT 50 FT THEN NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED. PANEL INSTS NOW INDICATE NO LIGHT FOR NOSEWHEEL BUT MAINS ARE ON. SKIDDED ABOUT 700 FT BEFORE STOPPING. TEST SEVERAL GEAR AND LIGHTS FUNCTION PROPERLY. THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSEQUENT SAFETY ALERT FROM THE FAA ON THIS ACFT FOR SIMILAR PROBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT SMA HAS APPARENTLY HAD PROBS AND THE ALERT WAS ISSUED AFTER HIS INCIDENT, IN JAN OF 1994. IT IS AC4316. RPTR UPSET THAT HIS ACFT HAD NOT BEEN CHKED PROPERLY AT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION IN OCTOBER. THERE IS A NOSE LOCK SPRING WHICH WAS NOT PROPERLY LUBED AND SERVICED, CONSEQUENTLY THE DOWN LOCK SPRING WAS JAMMED AND WOULD NOT MOVE INTO POS. THE BULLETIN STATES THAT THE NOSEWHEEL LOCK SPRING SHOULD BE PROPERLY LUBED AND SERVICED AT EACH ANNUAL AND EVERY TIME THE COWLING IS LOWERED IT SHOULD BE CHKED. THE MAINT SHOP RPTR USED HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. RPTR PARTICIPATED IN THE INSPECTION AFTER THE INCIDENT AND STATED HE TOUCHED THE AREA WHERE THE LOCK SPRING IS LOCATED AND THE LUBRICANT WAS LIKE GUM. HIS FINGERS JUST STUCK TO IT. NO WONDER THE SPRING COULD NOT MOVE TO LOCK POS.

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.