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An experimental van's rv-6A aircraft nose gear collapsed as pilot taxied into position for take-off. Crack found at upper section of nose gear.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 778285 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Experimental |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 778285 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
After taxiing to the run-up area and after completing the run-up; I was cleared for takeoff. I started to taxi into position onto the active runway. After crossing the hold short line; the nose gear collapsed; the nose lunged down; the milling propeller hit the tarmac. The runway was temporarily closed and after jumping out of the aircraft; I determined that no flight surfaces or airframe components were damaged beyond the nose gear and lower cowling; propeller bent. The runway was subsequently cleared. It seems that there was a crack of the upper portion of the nose gear that could not have been detected unless one would have disassembled the nose gear. This crack apparently led to metal fatigue which caused the incident. It is my intent at this juncture to alert van's aircraft of my misfortune (fortune that it did not happen on landing rollout!) so that other rv users take very close look at the nose gear; to look for cracks.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EXPERIMENTAL VAN'S RV-6A ACFT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AS PILOT TAXIED INTO POSITION FOR TAKE-OFF. CRACK FOUND AT UPPER SECTION OF NOSE GEAR.
Narrative: AFTER TAXIING TO THE RUN-UP AREA AND AFTER COMPLETING THE RUN-UP; I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. I STARTED TO TAXI INTO POS ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY. AFTER XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE; THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED; THE NOSE LUNGED DOWN; THE MILLING PROP HIT THE TARMAC. THE RWY WAS TEMPORARILY CLOSED AND AFTER JUMPING OUT OF THE ACFT; I DETERMINED THAT NO FLT SURFACES OR AIRFRAME COMPONENTS WERE DAMAGED BEYOND THE NOSE GEAR AND LOWER COWLING; PROP BENT. THE RWY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED. IT SEEMS THAT THERE WAS A CRACK OF THE UPPER PORTION OF THE NOSE GEAR THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DETECTED UNLESS ONE WOULD HAVE DISASSEMBLED THE NOSE GEAR. THIS CRACK APPARENTLY LED TO METAL FATIGUE WHICH CAUSED THE INCIDENT. IT IS MY INTENT AT THIS JUNCTURE TO ALERT VAN'S ACFT OF MY MISFORTUNE (FORTUNE THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON LNDG ROLLOUT!) SO THAT OTHER RV USERS TAKE VERY CLOSE LOOK AT THE NOSE GEAR; TO LOOK FOR CRACKS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.