Nose gear of a piper PA23-250 (pazt), collapsed on the runway prior to takeoff causing the aircraft ...

Attributes
ACN	400329
Time
Date	199804
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msn
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 127 flight time total : 1778 flight time type : 95
ASRS Report	400329
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was positioning a plane from madison to watertown to pick up 1 passenger. At the time of occurrence I was part 91 and the only person aboard the aircraft. I preflted the aircraft following the checklist. Everything appeared normal and operational. I then started the airplane and obtained my clearance. I was told to taxi to runway 18 via taxiway charlie. While taxiing, I was given the option of runway 18. Due to winds of 080 degrees at 16 knots. I accepted runway 13. Short of runway 13, I performed my runup. Everything appeared normal. I then called tower and received clearance to back-taxi as needed into position and hold. I back-taxied and while doing so received clearance for takeoff. I turned around to takeoff and while just beginning to add power the nose gear collapsed causing both propellers to strike the ground. I quickly pulled both mixtures to stop the engines. I then told tower I need a tow off the runway. It was later determined by the mechanics and FAA to be a faulty bolt that caused the nosewheel to collapse. The nosewheel collapsed forward which is opposite of the direction of travel when raising the gear. I notified the chief pilot, and director of maintenance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the FAA's investigation found that the bolt was an approved bolt, but was worn, cracked and had corrosion. The aircraft was over 30 years old and had not been in production for a like amount of time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NOSE GEAR OF A PIPER PA23-250 (PAZT), COLLAPSED ON THE RWY PRIOR TO TKOF CAUSING THE ACFT TO DROP ON TO THE PROPS LEAVING THE ACFT STRANDED ON THE RWY. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION BY THE FAA DISCLOSED THAT THE NOSE GEAR SUPPORT BOLT BROKE DUE TO CORROSION AND WEAR.

Narrative: I WAS POSITIONING A PLANE FROM MADISON TO WATERTOWN TO PICK UP 1 PAX. AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE I WAS PART 91 AND THE ONLY PERSON ABOARD THE ACFT. I PREFLTED THE ACFT FOLLOWING THE CHECKLIST. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL AND OPERATIONAL. I THEN STARTED THE AIRPLANE AND OBTAINED MY CLRNC. I WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 18 VIA TXWY CHARLIE. WHILE TAXIING, I WAS GIVEN THE OPTION OF RWY 18. DUE TO WINDS OF 080 DEGS AT 16 KNOTS. I ACCEPTED RWY 13. SHORT OF RWY 13, I PERFORMED MY RUNUP. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I THEN CALLED TWR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO BACK-TAXI AS NEEDED INTO POSITION AND HOLD. I BACK-TAXIED AND WHILE DOING SO RECEIVED CLRNC FOR TKOF. I TURNED AROUND TO TKOF AND WHILE JUST BEGINNING TO ADD PWR THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING BOTH PROPS TO STRIKE THE GND. I QUICKLY PULLED BOTH MIXTURES TO STOP THE ENGINES. I THEN TOLD TWR I NEED A TOW OFF THE RWY. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED BY THE MECHANICS AND FAA TO BE A FAULTY BOLT THAT CAUSED THE NOSEWHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED FORWARD WHICH IS OPPOSITE OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL WHEN RAISING THE GEAR. I NOTIFIED THE CHIEF PLT, AND DIRECTOR OF MAINT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA'S INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE BOLT WAS AN APPROVED BOLT, BUT WAS WORN, CRACKED AND HAD CORROSION. THE ACFT WAS OVER 30 YEARS OLD AND HAD NOT BEEN IN PRODUCTION FOR A LIKE AMOUNT OF 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.

Nose gear of a piper PA23-250 (pazt), collapsed on the runway prior to takeoff causing the aircraft to drop on to the propellers leaving the aircraft stranded on the runway. Subsequent inspection by the FAA disclosed that the nose gear support bolt broke due to corrosion and wear.