What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday, November 12, 2022, at approximately 4:30 eastern time, the PIC (pilot in command) shot an approach to the uphill portion of the active runway at Cox Airport near Apex, NC. Upon touchdown at reduced power, the nose gear collapsed partially and the composite sensenich propeller struck the ground, stopping the engine.
After inspecting the damage, it was determined to be minor, limited to the bent primary nose gear vertical tube, which was also an element of the hinged nose gear steering-mechanism.
The PIC also stated that when landing this airplane it is impossible to hold the nosewheel off the ground using full back elevator. The PIC stated that this airplane had this characteristic ever since he bought it.
An inability to hold the nose off, even with full aft elevator could cause the nose gear to impact the uphill portion of the runway with the type of angle indicated by the bent gear structure.
This could occur no matter who is flying it… and could be improved or potentially eliminated through proper checks during annual condition inspection. (Safety recommendation)
This does not appear to be a pilot induced event as he had no ability to pull it back FAR enough to hold the nose off at the time the main gear touched down, then have the nose lower at a better angle as the speed bled off.
Historical research revealed this aircraft had an event in 2012 when owned by the prior owners; in which the nose gear strut collapsed similar to this event.
At the time of this investigation it is undetermined why this aircraft is not able to hold the nose wheel off the ground with full back elevator during landing. This raises the question about rigging, the potential inadequacy of heat treatment or strength; and potential good thoughts for safety recommendations and reasons to look at other history of these aircraft.
All "no" was selected for the faa's nine areas of responsibility because the results of this investigation were undetermined at this time. No 14 cfrs were violated during this event.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 EASTERN TIME, THE PIC (PILOT IN COMMAND) SHOT AN APPROACH TO THE UPHILL PORTION OF THE ACTIVE RUNWAY AT COX AIRPORT NEAR APEX, NC. UPON TOUCHDOWN AT REDUCED POWER, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED PARTIALLY AND THE COMPOSITE SENSENICH PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND, STOPPING THE ENGINE.
AFTER INSPECTING THE DAMAGE, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE MINOR, LIMITED TO THE BENT PRIMARY NOSE GEAR VERTICAL TUBE, WHICH WAS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF THE HINGED NOSE GEAR STEERING-MECHANISM.
THE PIC ALSO STATED THAT WHEN LANDING THIS AIRPLANE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD THE NOSEWHEEL OFF THE GROUND USING FULL BACK ELEVATOR. THE PIC STATED THAT THIS AIRPLANE HAD THIS CHARACTERISTIC EVER SINCE HE BOUGHT IT.
AN INABILITY TO HOLD THE NOSE OFF, EVEN WITH FULL AFT ELEVATOR COULD CAUSE THE NOSE GEAR TO IMPACT THE UPHILL PORTION OF THE RUNWAY WITH THE TYPE OF ANGLE INDICATED BY THE BENT GEAR STRUCTURE.
THIS COULD OCCUR NO MATTER WHO IS FLYING IT… AND COULD BE IMPROVED OR POTENTIALLY ELIMINATED THROUGH PROPER CHECKS DURING ANNUAL CONDITION INSPECTION. (SAFETY RECOMMENDATION)
THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A PILOT INDUCED EVENT AS HE HAD NO ABILITY TO PULL IT BACK FAR ENOUGH TO HOLD THE NOSE OFF AT THE TIME THE MAIN GEAR TOUCHED DOWN, THEN HAVE THE NOSE LOWER AT A BETTER ANGLE AS THE SPEED BLED OFF.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH REVEALED THIS AIRCRAFT HAD AN EVENT IN 2012 WHEN OWNED BY THE PRIOR OWNERS; IN WHICH THE NOSE GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED SIMILAR TO THIS EVENT.
AT THE TIME OF THIS INVESTIGATION IT IS UNDETERMINED WHY THIS AIRCRAFT IS NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE NOSE WHEEL OFF THE GROUND WITH FULL BACK ELEVATOR DURING LANDING. THIS RAISES THE QUESTION ABOUT RIGGING, THE POTENTIAL INADEQUACY OF HEAT TREATMENT OR STRENGTH; AND POTENTIAL GOOD THOUGHTS FOR SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS AND REASONS TO LOOK AT OTHER HISTORY OF THESE AIRCRAFT.
ALL "NO" WAS SELECTED FOR THE FAA'S NINE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION WERE UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. NO 14 CFRS WERE VIOLATED DURING THIS EVENT.
Other reports on N4337G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.