# Incident 20221112018089I: Nelson Sydney/Nelson Diann ZODIACXL, Apex, NC, November 12, 2022

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 12, 2022, 17:00 local time
- Place: Apex, NC
- Airport: Cox Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7256° N, 78.8799° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Apex, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7256&lon=-78.8799&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4337G, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4337G) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Nelson Sydney/Nelson Diann ZODIACXL (registry code 05901RM, https://openairdocs.org/model/nelson-sydney-nelson-diann-zodiacxl) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Jabiru 3300 (registry code 34801, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NELSON SYDNEY/NELSON DIANN ZODIACXL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 450 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221112018089I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

- [Incident 20120413006999I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120413006999I), Apr 13, 2012: Nelson Sydney/Nelson Diann ZODIACXL (N4337G), Medina, OH, Minor damage. On Friday April 13, 2012 aircraft N4337G, an experimental amatuer built zenith zodiac xl, was flying in the pattern of columbia station airport (4G8) and…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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