What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 11, 2016 at 2025Z, N770JL, an amatuer built Rutan Defiant, landed on runway 23 at Morristown Airport. Upon landing the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft stopped on the runway surface. This resulted in damage to the rhino rudder which is located next to the nosewheel, a prop strike on the forward engine, and skin damage to the forward cowling. The pilot, who also constructed the aircraft, determined the cause of the collapse to be wear on the nose landing gear down lock. This was verified by an FAA inspector.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 11, 2016 AT 2025Z, N770JL, AN AMATUER BUILT RUTAN DEFIANT, LANDED ON RUNWAY 23 AT MORRISTOWN AIRPORT. UPON LANDING THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE RHINO RUDDER WHICH IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE NOSEWHEEL, A PROP STRIKE ON THE FORWARD ENGINE, AND SKIN DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD COWLING. THE PILOT, WHO ALSO CONSTRUCTED THE AIRCRAFT, DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE TO BE WEAR ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK. THIS WAS VERIFIED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR.
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 N770JL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.