What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday June 14, 2014 at approximately 0816 EST an aircraft that had landed and the nose gear collapsed at Reading, PA (krdg). The aircraft had been moved by the pilot to the eastern ramp. There was 1 person on board with no reported injuries.
On Wednesday June, 18 I spoke with the pilot, a privacy data omitted, and he stated the landing was normal and during the rollout the nose landing gear broke.
Upon inspection of the aircraft it was noted that the nose gear tube was broken and detached from the aircraft at the upper attach point. Upon closer inspection of the break it was determined that there was a crack that contained corrosion that started at the 5 o?clock position and radiated clockwise to the 7 o?clock position. The rest of the tube displayed a continuous break from the 7 o?clock position clockwise to the 5 o?clock position. The metal at the break point was shiny and indicated it had broken at one time.
During review of the aircraft and pilot?s records in the FAA spas database, 2 previous occurrences had happened in the last 14 months where this aircraft had landed hard and or departed the runway.
On 04/02/2013 the pilot made a hard landing and the nose wheel turned sideways which caused the aircraft to veer to the right off the runway. Minor scuff mark damage to the aircraft was reported and the matter was closed as an occurrence.
On 04/12/2014 the pilot made a hard landing causing the aircraft to bounce and depart the runway to the left under power. It was reported there was no obvious damage to the aircraft. Upon inspection by the FAA it was noted that the only damage was to the right main landing gear wheel pant and both main gear had dried grass between the wheels and wheel pants. The matter was closed as an occurrence.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY JUNE 14, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 0816 EST AN AIRCRAFT THAT HAD LANDED AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AT READING, PA (KRDG). THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MOVED BY THE PILOT TO THE EASTERN RAMP. THERE WAS 1 PERSON ON BOARD WITH NO REPORTED INJURIES.
ON WEDNESDAY JUNE, 18 I SPOKE WITH THE PILOT, A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AND HE STATED THE LANDING WAS NORMAL AND DURING THE ROLLOUT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BROKE.
UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS NOTED THAT THE NOSE GEAR TUBE WAS BROKEN AND DETACHED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT THE UPPER ATTACH POINT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE BREAK IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK THAT CONTAINED CORROSION THAT STARTED AT THE 5 O?CLOCK POSITION AND RADIATED CLOCKWISE TO THE 7 O?CLOCK POSITION. THE REST OF THE TUBE DISPLAYED A CONTINUOUS BREAK FROM THE 7 O?CLOCK POSITION CLOCKWISE TO THE 5 O?CLOCK POSITION. THE METAL AT THE BREAK POINT WAS SHINY AND INDICATED IT HAD BROKEN AT ONE TIME.
DURING REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT AND PILOT?S RECORDS IN THE FAA SPAS DATABASE, 2 PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES HAD HAPPENED IN THE LAST 14 MONTHS WHERE THIS AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED HARD AND OR DEPARTED THE RUNWAY.
ON 04/02/2013 THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING AND THE NOSE WHEEL TURNED SIDEWAYS WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT OFF THE RUNWAY. MINOR SCUFF MARK DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED AND THE MATTER WAS CLOSED AS AN OCCURRENCE.
ON 04/12/2014 THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUNCE AND DEPART THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT UNDER POWER. IT WAS REPORTED THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. UPON INSPECTION BY THE FAA IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL PANT AND BOTH MAIN GEAR HAD DRIED GRASS BETWEEN THE WHEELS AND WHEEL PANTS. THE MATTER WAS CLOSED AS AN OCCURRENCE.