Narrative:

The problem was the condition of the runway. The runway surface is asphalt over concrete and as a result of age and deterioration the asphalt was broken and loose. Upon landing my nosewheel struck a piece of loose asphalt that was on the surface of the runway. The strike caused the nosewheel of the aircraft to fracture and depart the plane creating an emergency situation. I was able to bring the plane to a controled stop without injury to occupants. The corrective action here is vigilance of runway conditions by the FBO. Dbq is a large municipal airport providing passenger service via bizjets and B737's. This type of debris on the runway could present a life endangering situation to passenger jets and bizjets. Runways must be maintained or notamed otherwise. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he sent the report because he feels this is a major safety issue and does not want this to happen to anyone else. He feels the airport management has an obligation to maintain the runway in good condition. Due to winter conditions the asphalt freezes and cracks, then begins to break up. This is, however, a fairly good size airport and pilots have expectations of a decent runway condition. Airport personnel did indicate that the airport is scheduled for runway repair resurfacing, but nothing has happened. Reporter was told to file a claim with the city which he did and things were settled right away. The FAA has a full report on the incident. Reporter was using runway 31 and indicated that the entire runway he saw and used was deteriorated at all of the expansion joints along that area. He did not specifically look at the northwest end of the runway but it too appeared to be deteriorated.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LONG EZ ENCOUNTERS FOREIGN OBJECT ON RWY CAUSING NOSE GEAR TO FRACTURE AND DEPART THE ACFT.

Narrative: THE PROB WAS THE CONDITION OF THE RWY. THE RWY SURFACE IS ASPHALT OVER CONCRETE AND AS A RESULT OF AGE AND DETERIORATION THE ASPHALT WAS BROKEN AND LOOSE. UPON LNDG MY NOSEWHEEL STRUCK A PIECE OF LOOSE ASPHALT THAT WAS ON THE SURFACE OF THE RWY. THE STRIKE CAUSED THE NOSEWHEEL OF THE ACFT TO FRACTURE AND DEPART THE PLANE CREATING AN EMER SIT. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE PLANE TO A CTLED STOP WITHOUT INJURY TO OCCUPANTS. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION HERE IS VIGILANCE OF RWY CONDITIONS BY THE FBO. DBQ IS A LARGE MUNICIPAL ARPT PROVIDING PAX SVC VIA BIZJETS AND B737'S. THIS TYPE OF DEBRIS ON THE RWY COULD PRESENT A LIFE ENDANGERING SIT TO PAX JETS AND BIZJETS. RWYS MUST BE MAINTAINED OR NOTAMED OTHERWISE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE SENT THE RPT BECAUSE HE FEELS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND DOES NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. HE FEELS THE ARPT MGMNT HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAINTAIN THE RWY IN GOOD CONDITION. DUE TO WINTER CONDITIONS THE ASPHALT FREEZES AND CRACKS, THEN BEGINS TO BREAK UP. THIS IS, HOWEVER, A FAIRLY GOOD SIZE ARPT AND PLTS HAVE EXPECTATIONS OF A DECENT RWY CONDITION. ARPT PERSONNEL DID INDICATE THAT THE ARPT IS SCHEDULED FOR RWY REPAIR RESURFACING, BUT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. RPTR WAS TOLD TO FILE A CLAIM WITH THE CITY WHICH HE DID AND THINGS WERE SETTLED RIGHT AWAY. THE FAA HAS A FULL RPT ON THE INCIDENT. RPTR WAS USING RWY 31 AND INDICATED THAT THE ENTIRE RWY HE SAW AND USED WAS DETERIORATED AT ALL OF THE EXPANSION JOINTS ALONG THAT AREA. HE DID NOT SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THE NW END OF THE RWY BUT IT TOO APPEARED TO BE DETERIORATED.

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.