What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Is a amateur built cozy MK-4. This is a canard aircraft with a pusher prop and retractable nose gear.
At approximately 12:48PM CDT on October 21st, 2022 pilot landed on runway 30 at kmle. At the time ASOS was reporting wind calm, visibility of 10SM, sky conditions clear, and altimeter setting of 29.66.
While in the traffic pattern the pilot heard a Cessna call that he was at the ramp and taxiing to runway 12 for departure. The pilot stated that he noted the Cessna and made certain to keep him in sight and make certain that traffic calls clearly stated he was landing runway 30 as the Cessna would be departing opposite direction.
During the landing and rollout the pilot attempted to slow down in time to make the Z1 taxiway and clear the runway sooner for the traffic waiting to depart. The pilot applied braking a bit heavier than normal and was slowed down enough that he was about to start turning for taxiway Z1 when the nose gear collapsed.
The pilot made an announcement on CTAF that the nose gear had collapsed and that he would be exiting the plane to get it off the runway quickly.
He shutdown the engine, turned off the ignition, the fuel valve, and the master switch, then egressed himself, and 2 passengers from the plane. He lifted the nose off the runway and pulled it clear of 12/30 onto taxiway Z1.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the (qty 4) MS24694-S70 screws that hold the skid plate (MKNG5) and nose gear strut (NG1) to the pivot bearing (MKNG6A) had pulled free of the (qty 4) MS21042-3 stop nuts thus allowing the top of the nose strut to drop free.
Further investigation revealed approximately only 2-3 threads at the tip of the screws appeared damaged indicating it is likely there wasn't enough thread engagement to maintain assembly during heavy load from the higher than normal breaking pressure.
The pilot, who is the aircraft builder with a repairman certificate, replaced the (qty 4) MS24694-S70 screws with (qty 4) MS24694-S74 screws and confirmed 3-4 threads extended past the new MS21042-3 stop nuts.
No damage was found to the structural bulkheads (NG-30, F0, or F22), the nose gear strut (NG1L), the nose gear actuator (NL1-12EX), or the nose wheel castering assembly (mkaa).
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IS A AMATEUR BUILT COZY MK-4. THIS IS A CANARD AIRCRAFT WITH A PUSHER PROP AND RETRACTABLE NOSE GEAR.
AT APPROXIMATELY 12:48PM CDT ON OCTOBER 21ST, 2022 PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 30 AT KMLE. AT THE TIME ASOS WAS REPORTING WIND CALM, VISIBILITY OF 10SM, SKY CONDITIONS CLEAR, AND ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.66.
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THE PILOT HEARD A CESSNA CALL THAT HE WAS AT THE RAMP AND TAXIING TO RUNWAY 12 FOR DEPARTURE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE NOTED THE CESSNA AND MADE CERTAIN TO KEEP HIM IN SIGHT AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT TRAFFIC CALLS CLEARLY STATED HE WAS LANDING RUNWAY 30 AS THE CESSNA WOULD BE DEPARTING OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
DURING THE LANDING AND ROLLOUT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN IN TIME TO MAKE THE Z1 TAXIWAY AND CLEAR THE RUNWAY SOONER FOR THE TRAFFIC WAITING TO DEPART. THE PILOT APPLIED BRAKING A BIT HEAVIER THAN NORMAL AND WAS SLOWED DOWN ENOUGH THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO START TURNING FOR TAXIWAY Z1 WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
THE PILOT MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON CTAF THAT THE NOSE GEAR HAD COLLAPSED AND THAT HE WOULD BE EXITING THE PLANE TO GET IT OFF THE RUNWAY QUICKLY.
HE SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, THE FUEL VALVE, AND THE MASTER SWITCH, THEN EGRESSED HIMSELF, AND 2 PASSENGERS FROM THE PLANE. HE LIFTED THE NOSE OFF THE RUNWAY AND PULLED IT CLEAR OF 12/30 ONTO TAXIWAY Z1.
SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE (QTY 4) MS24694-S70 SCREWS THAT HOLD THE SKID PLATE (MKNG5) AND NOSE GEAR STRUT (NG1) TO THE PIVOT BEARING (MKNG6A) HAD PULLED FREE OF THE (QTY 4) MS21042-3 STOP NUTS THUS ALLOWING THE TOP OF THE NOSE STRUT TO DROP FREE.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED APPROXIMATELY ONLY 2-3 THREADS AT THE TIP OF THE SCREWS APPEARED DAMAGED INDICATING IT IS LIKELY THERE WASN'T ENOUGH THREAD ENGAGEMENT TO MAINTAIN ASSEMBLY DURING HEAVY LOAD FROM THE HIGHER THAN NORMAL BREAKING PRESSURE.
THE PILOT, WHO IS THE AIRCRAFT BUILDER WITH A REPAIRMAN CERTIFICATE, REPLACED THE (QTY 4) MS24694-S70 SCREWS WITH (QTY 4) MS24694-S74 SCREWS AND CONFIRMED 3-4 THREADS EXTENDED PAST THE NEW MS21042-3 STOP NUTS.
NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND TO THE STRUCTURAL BULKHEADS (NG-30, F0, OR F22), THE NOSE GEAR STRUT (NG1L), THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR (NL1-12EX), OR THE NOSE WHEEL CASTERING ASSEMBLY (MKAA).