Narrative:

My instructor and I had been practicing short field takeoffs and lndgs. On our 6TH time around the pattern (remaining in left traffic for runway 30L at iwa) on downwind, I began my normal back course gump procedure. The gear cycled through transition and showed all 3 green active lights illuminated. Plus, this specific seneca has a mirror mounted on the engine so the pilot (me) could check to visually see the nose gear in the down position. With under 20 hours in a complex, believe me, I am checking 2 and 3 times. We touched down right after the threshold on the mains first. Proceeded to let the aircraft rest on its nose gear for 1 or 2 seconds, and without warning the nose gear collapsed causing the plane to skid on its nose for approximately 1100 ft while both propellers struck the ground. My instructor and I worked together to get the aircraft turned off, engines secured, while maintaining directional control of the aircraft. While the plane was skidding to a stop, my instructor informed the tower of what was happening, and we evacuated immediately after the seneca ceased to move. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that a maintenance check revealed the nose landing gear 'over center lock' did not operate properly, allowing the nose landing gear to collapse. It was also reported that on 2 previous occasions this aircraft experienced the same fate. Callback revealed that: the reporter stated that a maintenance check revealed the nose landing gear 'over center lock' did not operate properly, alowing the nose landing gear to collapse. It was also reported that on two previous occasions this aircraft experienced the same fate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE ON LNDG.

Narrative: MY INSTRUCTOR AND I HAD BEEN PRACTICING SHORT FIELD TKOFS AND LNDGS. ON OUR 6TH TIME AROUND THE PATTERN (REMAINING IN L TFC FOR RWY 30L AT IWA) ON DOWNWIND, I BEGAN MY NORMAL BACK COURSE GUMP PROC. THE GEAR CYCLED THROUGH TRANSITION AND SHOWED ALL 3 GREEN ACTIVE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. PLUS, THIS SPECIFIC SENECA HAS A MIRROR MOUNTED ON THE ENG SO THE PLT (ME) COULD CHK TO VISUALLY SEE THE NOSE GEAR IN THE DOWN POS. WITH UNDER 20 HRS IN A COMPLEX, BELIEVE ME, I AM CHKING 2 AND 3 TIMES. WE TOUCHED DOWN RIGHT AFTER THE THRESHOLD ON THE MAINS FIRST. PROCEEDED TO LET THE ACFT REST ON ITS NOSE GEAR FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS, AND WITHOUT WARNING THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE PLANE TO SKID ON ITS NOSE FOR APPROX 1100 FT WHILE BOTH PROPS STRUCK THE GND. MY INSTRUCTOR AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO GET THE ACFT TURNED OFF, ENGS SECURED, WHILE MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CTL OF THE ACFT. WHILE THE PLANE WAS SKIDDING TO A STOP, MY INSTRUCTOR INFORMED THE TWR OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND WE EVACUATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SENECA CEASED TO MOVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT A MAINT CHK REVEALED THE NOSE LNDG GEAR 'OVER CTR LOCK' DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, ALLOWING THE NOSE LNDG GEAR TO COLLAPSE. IT WAS ALSO RPTED THAT ON 2 PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THIS ACFT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FATE. CALLBACK REVEALED THAT: THE REPORTER STATED THAT A MAINTENANCE CHECK REVEALED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR 'OVER CENTER LOCK' DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, ALOWING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE. IT WAS ALSO REPORTED THAT ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THIS ACFT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FATE.

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.