What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) privacy data omitted was performing a solo operation in N411EV as a portion of his student pilot training. privacy data omitted Departed runway 9 at st. Charles municipal airport (3SQ) and experienced what he perceived as an inability to control the aircraft in its pitch axis. privacy data omitted Remained in the pattern of the airport and attempted a landing at what he described as a higher than normal airspeed. Upon landing the fixed nose gear collapsed causing the propeller and nose of the aircraft to strike the runway surface. The aircraft departed the runway to the left and came to rest in the grass area between the taxiway and runway. The aircraft propeller, engine, fuselage and nose gear were substantially damaged as a result of the accident. privacy data omitted Said privacy data omitted flight instructor privacy data omitted had asked him on August 6, 2008 if it was possible the elevator trim could have been set to the nose down setting. He stated "I suppose it was possible that I did not set the elevator trim to neutral", then he said " I did not even think about the trim tab". When he examined, all elevator/trim control system for the pitch axis had continuity, correct travels, and pitch trim was set at the farthest nose down position.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PERFORMING A SOLO OPERATION IN N411EV AS A PORTION OF HIS STUDENT PILOT TRAINING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED RUNWAY 9 AT ST. CHARLES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (3SQ) AND EXPERIENCED WHAT HE PERCEIVED AS AN INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT IN ITS PITCH AXIS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REMAINED IN THE PATTERN OF THE AIRPORT AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A HIGHER THAN NORMAL AIRSPEED. UPON LANDING THE FIXED NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE PROPELLER AND NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO STRIKE THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS AREA BETWEEN THE TAXIWAY AND RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER, ENGINE, FUSELAGE AND NOSE GEAR WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD ASKED HIM ON AUGUST 6, 2008 IF IT WAS POSSIBLE THE ELEVATOR TRIM COULD HAVE BEEN SET TO THE NOSE DOWN SETTING. HE STATED "I SUPPOSE IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT I DID NOT SET THE ELEVATOR TRIM TO NEUTRAL", THEN HE SAID " I DID NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THE TRIM TAB". WHEN HE EXAMINED, ALL ELEVATOR/TRIM CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE PITCH AXIS HAD CONTINUITY, CORRECT TRAVELS, AND PITCH TRIM WAS SET AT THE FARTHEST NOSE DOWN POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.