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20200712008289I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Mooney M20J · Easton, MD · July 12, 2020

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 12, 2020 · 17:11 local
Place
Easton, MD
Airport
Easton Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Taxi
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N57663
Reported as
Mooney M20J
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
3,800 total
N57663Registered now · Mooney M20JS/N 24-1489 · Built 1984Airframe modelMooney M20J

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On July 12, 2020 at approximately 1711 local time. privacy data omitted Experienced a nose gear collapse while taxing his Mooney M20, N57663 to runway 15 at Easton Municipal Airport. The investigation revealed that the nose gear had been turned beyond its limits probably several times causing damage to the supporting structure of the nose gear. Observed were signature marks on each of the stops where the tubing had been flattened. Additionally observed were fatigue cracks in the tubing in the area of the stops. These cracks probably occurred over time as the nose gear was turned beyond the turn limits several times. The pilot stated that where he bases the airplane (gai) he keeps it in a community hangar that is operated by the local FBO. He stated that they use a long tow bar with a tug. He also stated that the FBO had just hired a new line person who was very young and has only been working there for about 3 months.

METAR: esn,2020-07-12 16:50,kesn 122050Z 18008KT 10SM SCT120 32/17 A2978

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 12, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1711 LOCAL TIME. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE WHILE TAXING HIS MOONEY M20, N57663 TO RUNWAY 15 AT EASTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR HAD BEEN TURNED BEYOND ITS LIMITS PROBABLY SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE NOSE GEAR. OBSERVED WERE SIGNATURE MARKS ON EACH OF THE STOPS WHERE THE TUBING HAD BEEN FLATTENED. ADDITIONALLY OBSERVED WERE FATIGUE CRACKS IN THE TUBING IN THE AREA OF THE STOPS. THESE CRACKS PROBABLY OCCURRED OVER TIME AS THE NOSE GEAR WAS TURNED BEYOND THE TURN LIMITS SEVERAL TIMES. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHERE HE BASES THE AIRPLANE (GAI) HE KEEPS IT IN A COMMUNITY HANGAR THAT IS OPERATED BY THE LOCAL FBO. HE STATED THAT THEY USE A LONG TOW BAR WITH A TUG. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE FBO HAD JUST HIRED A NEW LINE PERSON WHO WAS VERY YOUNG AND HAS ONLY BEEN WORKING THERE FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS.

METAR: ESN,2020-07-12 16:50,KESN 122050Z 18008KT 10SM SCT120 32/17 A2978