What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
An experimental aircraft operating on phase 1 flights in the new Smyrna Beach test area prescribed encountered a second gear malfunction. The aircraft recently certificated, logging approximately 28 hours to date. The previous on record 01/06/2012, and maintenance action indicated a faulty down lock actuator. This accident also gear related involved the nose gear collapsing while taxing on the grassy area to runway 7 and considered acceptable. During my inspection noted the aircraft sustained major structural damage as well propeller and other associated areas around the nose structure. Initially during the inspection questioned installation procedures of the retractable system. This aircraft considered in my opinion destroyed has had on going gear related problems since certificated. Nonetheless, when reviewing the drawings it appeared that all components within the landing gear system were installed per builder instructions & drawings. Visual inspection noted the securing brackets used for mounting the nose gear failed whereas the support impaled into the cockpit flooring and crushing the wood surface of the center pedestal, causing severe damage to the structure and integrity of its design. Whether the previous gear collapse caused stress and undetected weakening of the nose gear support structure has not been determined. Furthermore this model aircraft is the only one of its type to have a retractable landing gear and it appears that the plans may reflect a weak or poor design type.
As the FAA filed it
AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT OPERATING ON PHASE 1 FLIGHTS IN THE NEW SMYRNA BEACH TEST AREA PRESCRIBED ENCOUNTERED A SECOND GEAR MALFUNCTION. THE AIRCRAFT RECENTLY CERTIFICATED, LOGGING APPROXIMATELY 28 HOURS TO DATE. THE PREVIOUS ON RECORD 01/06/2012, AND MAINTENANCE ACTION INDICATED A FAULTY DOWN LOCK ACTUATOR. THIS ACCIDENT ALSO GEAR RELATED INVOLVED THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSING WHILE TAXING ON THE GRASSY AREA TO RUNWAY 7 AND CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE. DURING MY INSPECTION NOTED THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AS WELL PROPELLER AND OTHER ASSOCIATED AREAS AROUND THE NOSE STRUCTURE. INITIALLY DURING THE INSPECTION QUESTIONED INSTALLATION PROCEDURES OF THE RETRACTABLE SYSTEM. THIS AIRCRAFT CONSIDERED IN MY OPINION DESTROYED HAS HAD ON GOING GEAR RELATED PROBLEMS SINCE CERTIFICATED. NONETHELESS, WHEN REVIEWING THE DRAWINGS IT APPEARED THAT ALL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WERE INSTALLED PER BUILDER INSTRUCTIONS & DRAWINGS. VISUAL INSPECTION NOTED THE SECURING BRACKETS USED FOR MOUNTING THE NOSE GEAR FAILED WHEREAS THE SUPPORT IMPALED INTO THE COCKPIT FLOORING AND CRUSHING THE WOOD SURFACE OF THE CENTER PEDESTAL, CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND INTEGRITY OF ITS DESIGN. WHETHER THE PREVIOUS GEAR COLLAPSE CAUSED STRESS AND UNDETECTED WEAKENING OF THE NOSE GEAR SUPPORT STRUCTURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. FURTHERMORE THIS MODEL AIRCRAFT IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS TYPE TO HAVE A RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR AND IT APPEARS THAT THE PLANS MAY REFLECT A WEAK OR POOR DESIGN TYPE.
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 N320WJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.