What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on 03-29-95, N4095TM an experimental model 173 Velocity built by Mr. Westwater, landed rwy 14 at Nashua, NH approximately 1215PM. Said aircraft, which has fixed gear, landed approximately 80-85 mph on main gear first, then on the nose gear (standard procedure). Upon initial nose gear contact with the pavement, PIC noted abnormal shimmy. He lifted nose gear off the pavement, then settled back down on the pavement. Again the abnormal shimmy was present. He once again lifted the nose gear off the pavement, then settled back down for the third time. At this time, the nose gear support tube broke, resulting in minor damage to the aircraft. Investigation found the support tube, p/n vnga-188, is 1 1/4" diameter (od), 4130 heat treated, and approximately 3/16' wall thickness. The tube fractured at a slight bend area where the tubing protrudes through the fuselage. It was also noted that the fracture area had a discolored area approximately 1" in length, whereas the remaining area disclosed a clean fracture. Indications are that this tubing had been fractured for sometime, and that the owner had a heavy application of rubber silicone around this area to prevent water entering thefuselage. This silicone prevented any inspection of the tube bend area. A telecon was held on 03-31-95 between this inspector and the manufacturer of this aircraft to determine if this tube problem was consistent with other aircraft. This inspector was informed that of the 50 other aircraft flying at this time, none have experienced this problem. This inspector was also informed that this is the third nose gear failure for Mr. Westwater. Each "failure" was due to inexperience and hard landings.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON 03-29-95, N4095TM AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL 173 VELOCITY BUILT BY MR. WESTWATER, LANDED RWY 14 AT NASHUA, NH APPROXIMATELY 1215PM. SAID AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAS FIXED GEAR, LANDED APPROXIMATELY 80-85 MPH ON MAIN GEAR FIRST, THEN ON THE NOSE GEAR (STANDARD PROCEDURE). UPON INITIAL NOSE GEAR CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, PIC NOTED ABNORMAL SHIMMY. HE LIFTED NOSE GEAR OFF THE PAVEMENT, THEN SETTLED BACK DOWN ON THE PAVEMENT. AGAIN THE ABNORMAL SHIMMY WAS PRESENT. HE ONCE AGAIN LIFTED THE NOSE GEAR OFF THE PAVEMENT, THEN SETTLED BACK DOWN FOR THE THIRD TIME. AT THIS TIME, THE NOSE GEAR SUPPORT TUBE BROKE, RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATION FOUND THE SUPPORT TUBE, P/N VNGA-188, IS 1 1/4" DIAMETER (OD), 4130 HEAT TREATED, AND APPROXIMATELY 3/16' WALL THICKNESS. THE TUBE FRACTURED AT A SLIGHT BEND AREA WHERE THE TUBING PROTRUDES THROUGH THE FUSELAGE. IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT THE FRACTURE AREA HAD A DISCOLORED AREA APPROXIMATELY 1" IN LENGTH, WHEREAS THE REMAINING AREA DISCLOSED A CLEAN FRACTURE. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS TUBING HAD BEEN FRACTURED FOR SOMETIME, AND THAT THE OWNER HAD A HEAVY APPLICATION OF RUBBER SILICONE AROUND THIS AREA TO PREVENT WATER ENTERING THEFUSELAGE. THIS SILICONE PREVENTED ANY INSPECTION OF THE TUBE BEND AREA. A TELECON WAS HELD ON 03-31-95 BETWEEN THIS INSPECTOR AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS AIRCRAFT TO DETERMINE IF THIS TUBE PROBLEM WAS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER AIRCRAFT. THIS INSPECTOR WAS INFORMED THAT OF THE 50 OTHER AIRCRAFT FLYING AT THIS TIME, NONE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THIS INSPECTOR WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS IS THE THIRD NOSE GEAR FAILURE FOR MR. WESTWATER. EACH "FAILURE" WAS DUE TO INEXPERIENCE AND HARD LANDINGS.
Other reports on N4095T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.