What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot failed to lower the nose gear prior to landing causing the aircraft to skid on the lower nose fuselage over 2,000 feet down the runway. This particular aircraft's design is unique whereas the vertical stabilizer/rudder are located under the fuselage forward of the left main gear. Since the nose gear was not extended prior to landing, and the main gears are fixed in position, the wooden propeller hit the runway surface repeatedly, shearing it with each strike. Additionally, the rudder/stabilizer skidded on the runway destroying at least 8 inches of the control surface. No other landing damage was detected. Further aircraft inspection noted significant carbon deposits near both main gear struts, indicating a recent fire on the aircraft's brake system. The airport management and local FBO fuelers verified the N726RD'S brakes had caught fire the previous day while the pilot privacy data omitted was taxiing his aircraft. Their assistance was required to extinguish the fire. The aircraft was missing the airworthiness certificate and the registration.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT FAILED TO LOWER THE NOSE GEAR PRIOR TO LANDING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SKID ON THE LOWER NOSE FUSELAGE OVER 2,000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT'S DESIGN IS UNIQUE WHEREAS THE VERTICAL STABILIZER/RUDDER ARE LOCATED UNDER THE FUSELAGE FORWARD OF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. SINCE THE NOSE GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED PRIOR TO LANDING, AND THE MAIN GEARS ARE FIXED IN POSITION, THE WOODEN PROPELLER HIT THE RUNWAY SURFACE REPEATEDLY, SHEARING IT WITH EACH STRIKE. ADDITIONALLY, THE RUDDER/STABILIZER SKIDDED ON THE RUNWAY DESTROYING AT LEAST 8 INCHES OF THE CONTROL SURFACE. NO OTHER LANDING DAMAGE WAS DETECTED. FURTHER AIRCRAFT INSPECTION NOTED SIGNIFICANT CARBON DEPOSITS NEAR BOTH MAIN GEAR STRUTS, INDICATING A RECENT FIRE ON THE AIRCRAFT'S BRAKE SYSTEM. THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT AND LOCAL FBO FUELERS VERIFIED THE N726RD'S BRAKES HAD CAUGHT FIRE THE PREVIOUS DAY WHILE THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ WAS TAXIING HIS AIRCRAFT. THEIR ASSISTANCE WAS REQUIRED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MISSING THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND THE REGISTRATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N726RD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.