Narrative:

The taxi to runway 30R, the run up and takeoff roll were normal. I retracted the gear at 200' MSL and at about 300' the upper latch on the right hand door came ajar. We continued the climb to 1000' and I called the tower requesting a return for landing. We entered a wide downwind and opposite the approach end of runway 30R I reduced power and extended the gear and flaps. I observed the 3 green gear down lights and called out '3 in the green.' we turned base and final and on short final I again observed 3 green lights and again called out '3 in the green.' my passenger called out 'and one in the mirror,' and I glanced over and saw the nose gear in the convex mirror on the left engine. A normal landing was made on the main wheels but the nose settled past the normal nose wheel T/D point. Immediately the gear warning horn sounded and within a second the propellers struck the runway and we began scraping along the runway on our nose. We stopped in the grass about 10' off the left side of the runway. I shut off the fuel and all the electrical switches and we exited the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the aircraft owner still thinks it was pilot error. He does not want to admit anything could be wrong with the aircraft because it would affect the aircraft's rental potential. The FAA has taken no acton and said they do not think pilot error was a factor. During post-flight activity the nose gear could not be locked in the down position until the emergency gear switch was activated releasing the hydraulic pressure to the gear. The gear activating mechanism indicates signs of excessive wear with many loose fittings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER LNDG. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL UNTIL NOSE WHEEL WAS LOWERED TO RWY DURING ROLL OUT.

Narrative: THE TAXI TO RWY 30R, THE RUN UP AND TKOF ROLL WERE NORMAL. I RETRACTED THE GEAR AT 200' MSL AND AT ABOUT 300' THE UPPER LATCH ON THE RIGHT HAND DOOR CAME AJAR. WE CONTINUED THE CLB TO 1000' AND I CALLED THE TWR REQUESTING A RETURN FOR LNDG. WE ENTERED A WIDE DOWNWIND AND OPPOSITE THE APCH END OF RWY 30R I REDUCED PWR AND EXTENDED THE GEAR AND FLAPS. I OBSERVED THE 3 GREEN GEAR DOWN LIGHTS AND CALLED OUT '3 IN THE GREEN.' WE TURNED BASE AND FINAL AND ON SHORT FINAL I AGAIN OBSERVED 3 GREEN LIGHTS AND AGAIN CALLED OUT '3 IN THE GREEN.' MY PAX CALLED OUT 'AND ONE IN THE MIRROR,' AND I GLANCED OVER AND SAW THE NOSE GEAR IN THE CONVEX MIRROR ON THE LEFT ENG. A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE ON THE MAIN WHEELS BUT THE NOSE SETTLED PAST THE NORMAL NOSE WHEEL T/D POINT. IMMEDIATELY THE GEAR WARNING HORN SOUNDED AND WITHIN A SECOND THE PROPS STRUCK THE RWY AND WE BEGAN SCRAPING ALONG THE RWY ON OUR NOSE. WE STOPPED IN THE GRASS ABOUT 10' OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. I SHUT OFF THE FUEL AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND WE EXITED THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE ACFT OWNER STILL THINKS IT WAS PLT ERROR. HE DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT ANYTHING COULD BE WRONG WITH THE ACFT BECAUSE IT WOULD AFFECT THE ACFT'S RENTAL POTENTIAL. THE FAA HAS TAKEN NO ACTON AND SAID THEY DO NOT THINK PLT ERROR WAS A FACTOR. DURING POST-FLT ACTIVITY THE NOSE GEAR COULD NOT BE LOCKED IN THE DOWN POS UNTIL THE EMER GEAR SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED RELEASING THE HYD PRESSURE TO THE GEAR. THE GEAR ACTIVATING MECHANISM INDICATES SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR WITH MANY LOOSE FITTINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.