What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 30, 2013 this office was contacted by the regional operations center (roc) at 1245AND advised by the Savannah airport authority that aircraft N5692X experienced a nose gear collapse while landing on runway 1 at sav. There were no injuries reported and the airport was authorized by the FSDO (flm) to take photos and have the aircraft removed to a secure location. This inspector was assigned the investigation by the flm. The Savannah airport authority was contacted and sent pictures to the FSDO. The pilot in command (privacy data omitted) indicated that the landing on runway 1 was normal and as the nose settled down it continued to sink until the propeller struck the ground and stopped turning. privacy data omitted Stated that the indicator in the cockpit showed gear down as well as the corresponding gear selector.
On December 31, 2013 this inspector arrived at Savannah and met with privacy data omitted at Savannah aviation. The maintenance records were reviewed and found to be current. privacy data omitted Pilot documents were current and in order.
Upon inspection of the aircraft it was determined that the nose gear truss assembly (pn 540016-507?ipc 32-20-00 page 1 #4) had broken on both sides from the bungee assemblies. The nature of the failures appeared to overload and possible cracking/ failure on one side which overloaded the other. The nose wheel collapsed and retracted. There was some damage to the left gear door. The propeller was bent and the engine exhaust on the left side was scrapped.
Aircraft information:
Mooney M20K registration N5692X, serial number 25-0774
The aircraft was manufactured as a M20K under tc 2A3. The rocket engineering corp STC was accomplished and the additional data plate was installed.
Total time as of 12/31/2013 -- 2212 hours
Last annual 11/14/2013 at 2203.2 hours (8.5 hours since annual).
91.411 And 91.413 11/26/2013
91.207 D 11/13/2013 and next battery replacement 01/13/2017
privacy data omitted
Medical date 07/23/2013 (second class)
Bfr 05/12/2012
privacy data omitted Holds an FAA airline transport pilot certificate (privacy data omitted) for airplane multiengine land, airplane single engine land with instrument and the citation 500 type rating. And has approximately 170 hours in this make and model aircraft and 3207 hours total time. privacy data omitted Holds a second class medical certificate that was issued on 05/12/2012. The reported bfr date was July 12,2012.
At the time (1215) of the accident the weather was VMC,
According to statements made by the control tower and privacy data omitted, privacy data omitted was landing on runway 01 at Savannah and the nose gear collapsed during the nose touch down and stopped.
The aircraft sustained damage to the left nose gear door, propeller and engine exhaust.
At the time of the accident the aircraft inspection was current and completed on November 14, 2013
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 30, 2013 THIS OFFICE WAS CONTACTED BY THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC) AT 1245AND ADVISED BY THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT AUTHORITY THAT AIRCRAFT N5692X EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 1 AT SAV. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED AND THE AIRPORT WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE FSDO (FLM) TO TAKE PHOTOS AND HAVE THE AIRCRAFT REMOVED TO A SECURE LOCATION. THIS INSPECTOR WAS ASSIGNED THE INVESTIGATION BY THE FLM. THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT AUTHORITY WAS CONTACTED AND SENT PICTURES TO THE FSDO. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^) INDICATED THAT THE LANDING ON RUNWAY 1 WAS NORMAL AND AS THE NOSE SETTLED DOWN IT CONTINUED TO SINK UNTIL THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND STOPPED TURNING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THE INDICATOR IN THE COCKPIT SHOWED GEAR DOWN AS WELL AS THE CORRESPONDING GEAR SELECTOR.
ON DECEMBER 31, 2013 THIS INSPECTOR ARRIVED AT SAVANNAH AND MET WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT SAVANNAH AVIATION. THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE REVIEWED AND FOUND TO BE CURRENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT DOCUMENTS WERE CURRENT AND IN ORDER.
UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE NOSE GEAR TRUSS ASSEMBLY (PN 540016-507?IPC 32-20-00 PAGE 1 #4) HAD BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES FROM THE BUNGEE ASSEMBLIES. THE NATURE OF THE FAILURES APPEARED TO OVERLOAD AND POSSIBLE CRACKING/ FAILURE ON ONE SIDE WHICH OVERLOADED THE OTHER. THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED AND RETRACTED. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO THE LEFT GEAR DOOR. THE PROPELLER WAS BENT AND THE ENGINE EXHAUST ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS SCRAPPED.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION:
MOONEY M20K REGISTRATION N5692X, SERIAL NUMBER 25-0774
THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANUFACTURED AS A M20K UNDER TC 2A3. THE ROCKET ENGINEERING CORP STC WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ADDITIONAL DATA PLATE WAS INSTALLED.
TOTAL TIME AS OF 12/31/2013 -- 2212 HOURS
LAST ANNUAL 11/14/2013 AT 2203.2 HOURS (8.5 HOURS SINCE ANNUAL).
91.411 AND 91.413 11/26/2013
91.207 D 11/13/2013 AND NEXT BATTERY REPLACEMENT 01/13/2017
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
MEDICAL DATE 07/23/2013 (SECOND CLASS)
BFR 05/12/2012
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDS AN FAA AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE (^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^) FOR AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND, AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND WITH INSTRUMENT AND THE CITATION 500 TYPE RATING. AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 170 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT AND 3207 HOURS TOTAL TIME. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDS A SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE THAT WAS ISSUED ON 05/12/2012. THE REPORTED BFR DATE WAS JULY 12,2012.
AT THE TIME (1215) OF THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER WAS VMC,
ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS MADE BY THE CONTROL TOWER AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 01 AT SAVANNAH AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE NOSE TOUCH DOWN AND STOPPED.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT NOSE GEAR DOOR, PROPELLER AND ENGINE EXHAUST.
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION WAS CURRENT AND COMPLETED ON NOVEMBER 14, 2013