What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Nose gear fork failed on landing causing nose landing gear collapse and prop strike. Nose gear design on this aircraft is a non-steerable full castering type. Investigation at the field found it to be in good condition for a grass field and not particularly soft at the touch down point. Inspection found that the fork had failed at or around the weld joints connecting it too the castering mechanism. The manufacture?s engineering dept at Vans aircraft is evaluating the components of the fork assembly. Results of the findings will be forwarded to the FAA and NTSB as they become availiable.
As the FAA filed it
NOSE GEAR FORK FAILED ON LANDING CAUSING NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE AND PROP STRIKE. NOSE GEAR DESIGN ON THIS AIRCRAFT IS A NON-STEERABLE FULL CASTERING TYPE. INVESTIGATION AT THE FIELD FOUND IT TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION FOR A GRASS FIELD AND NOT PARTICULARLY SOFT AT THE TOUCH DOWN POINT. INSPECTION FOUND THAT THE FORK HAD FAILED AT OR AROUND THE WELD JOINTS CONNECTING IT TOO THE CASTERING MECHANISM. THE MANUFACTURE?S ENGINEERING DEPT AT VANS AIRCRAFT IS EVALUATING THE COMPONENTS OF THE FORK ASSEMBLY. RESULTS OF THE FINDINGS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE FAA AND NTSB AS THEY BECOME AVAILIABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.