Narrative:

Piper seminole X was on simulated single engine VFR practice approach into ZZZ. At the decision altitude (349 ft MSL); the student went visual and proceeded to put the gear into the 'down' position. A moment later; ZZZ tower transmitted 'seminole X; your gear; oh; I see it coming down now.' then the student called 3 green followed by the instructor verification that there was 3 green. The instructor followed by calling the tower 'ZZZ tower; seminole X; we were on a simulated single engine ILS; and we don't put the gear down until landing is ensured.' the instructor glanced one last time to the gear lights and called out 'gear down 3 green.' the student proceeded with the landing and touched down tail low with main landing gear first; followed closely by the nosewheel. The nosewheel supported the airplane momentarily; and started to give way; exposing an abnormal amount of runway in the pilot's field of vision. The nose cone touched and the airplane grounded to a halt. The student advised ATC that there were no injuries; as the instructor secured the electrical system and fuel system. The instructor and student then evacuate/evacuationed the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the nose gear collapse was caused by the over-center downlock bolt failure. This bolt was the subject of a manufacturer's service bulletin; but the reporter has no knowledge if the service bulletin was accomplished on this airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA44 ON LNDG HAD THE NOSE LNDG GEAR COLLAPSE INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. CAUSED BY OVER CTR DOWNLOCK BOLT FAILURE.

Narrative: PIPER SEMINOLE X WAS ON SIMULATED SINGLE ENG VFR PRACTICE APCH INTO ZZZ. AT THE DECISION ALT (349 FT MSL); THE STUDENT WENT VISUAL AND PROCEEDED TO PUT THE GEAR INTO THE 'DOWN' POS. A MOMENT LATER; ZZZ TWR XMITTED 'SEMINOLE X; YOUR GEAR; OH; I SEE IT COMING DOWN NOW.' THEN THE STUDENT CALLED 3 GREEN FOLLOWED BY THE INSTRUCTOR VERIFICATION THAT THERE WAS 3 GREEN. THE INSTRUCTOR FOLLOWED BY CALLING THE TWR 'ZZZ TWR; SEMINOLE X; WE WERE ON A SIMULATED SINGLE ENG ILS; AND WE DON'T PUT THE GEAR DOWN UNTIL LNDG IS ENSURED.' THE INSTRUCTOR GLANCED ONE LAST TIME TO THE GEAR LIGHTS AND CALLED OUT 'GEAR DOWN 3 GREEN.' THE STUDENT PROCEEDED WITH THE LNDG AND TOUCHED DOWN TAIL LOW WITH MAIN LNDG GEAR FIRST; FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY THE NOSEWHEEL. THE NOSEWHEEL SUPPORTED THE AIRPLANE MOMENTARILY; AND STARTED TO GIVE WAY; EXPOSING AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF RWY IN THE PLT'S FIELD OF VISION. THE NOSE CONE TOUCHED AND THE AIRPLANE GNDED TO A HALT. THE STUDENT ADVISED ATC THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES; AS THE INSTRUCTOR SECURED THE ELECTRICAL SYS AND FUEL SYS. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT THEN EVACED THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE WAS CAUSED BY THE OVER-CTR DOWNLOCK BOLT FAILURE. THIS BOLT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A MANUFACTURER'S SVC BULLETIN; BUT THE RPTR HAS NO KNOWLEDGE IF THE SVC BULLETIN WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON THIS AIRPLANE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.