What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
NTSB accident no.: n/a atqa: A-SO-19-25-033 sas ptrs no.: SO19202503488 task id: T-SO19-FY25-0548 registration: nxxxx make: PA-31-350: serial number: xxxxxx ,when: March , 2025 where: labelle municipal airport (X14) what: part 135.
On 14MAR2025, at approximately 1430 local time, an aircraft registered as xxxxxx, operated by xxxxxxxx, 135 ch, while landing at X14 La Belle, on touchdown the aircraft nose gear collapsed. 2 sob, no injuries, the pilot and check pilot were conducting a 293, 297, 299 check ride. Investigation revealed the the aircraft has an STC aero support engineering SA3197SO applied, which replaces the nose gear scissors link and replaces the fix bolt with a removable pin so the scissor may be disconnected for ground handling. Further investigation; aircraft registry records reveals no record of major alteration or 337 is on file for this modification. Additionally the ch has not provided a log book entry for this modification. The p/n that failed is MS17985C418. This pin has pushbutton release to prevent the pin from backing out. Investigation reveals this pin backed out during landing and the scissors disconnected causing the nose gear to turn left, the tire exploded and cause the tire to dig into the ground causing a nose gear collapse. Additionally, the pin from the incident scene does not match the drawing for the STC.
The following pilot statement corroborated the determination of the airworthiness issue.
Check pliot statement:
On March 14, 2024 I was conducting a part 135.293, .297, .299 check ride on xxxxxxxxx, in Piper PA-31-350 xxxxx, on behalf of xxxxxxx as a contract check airman. Our flight from fxe to labelle (X14) was uneventful. Our plan was to perform the airwork and a couple of approaches at X14, have lunch, and return to kfxe for more approaches to complete the check ride. The air work was satisfactory, and with 2 approaches completed, we began the simulated single engine landing maneuver. Upon touchdown the airplane felt like something was wrong, and the airplane decelerated very suddenly, slowly drifting to the left side of the runway, eventually exiting the runway into the grass. After traveling about 10 feet on to the grass, with very slow forward motion, the nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to a stop. We evacuated the aircraft through the pilots door, with no post flight fire or injuries.
Pilot statement:
Who was involved '
PIC xxxxxxxxxx
Check airman xxxxxxxxxx
What were we doing'
Check pilot was giving me a part 135.293 ,297, & 299 flight check
Where did it happen'
The incident occurred at labelle airport (X14)
When did it happen'
The flight was on 14 March 2025 at approximately 14:30 local time.
How did it happen'
We were conducting a single engine landing maneuver and after touchdown slowing through 70 KIAS a pronounced vibration started and the nose swerved uncontrollably to the left, I attempted to stop the swerve with nose gear steering and braking which was futile as the aircraft continued hard left. The nose tire blew, and the rim scrapped along the runway until we exited it, and the gear dug into the grass which then caused the nose gear to collapse. There was no fire or injuries
As the FAA filed it
NTSB ACCIDENT NO.: N/A ATQA: A-SO-19-25-033 SAS PTRS NO.: SO19202503488 TASK ID: T-SO19-FY25-0548 REGISTRATION: NXXXX MAKE: PA-31-350: SERIAL NUMBER: XXXXXX ,WHEN: MARCH , 2025 WHERE: LABELLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (X14) WHAT: PART 135.
ON 14MAR2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 LOCAL TIME, AN AIRCRAFT REGISTERED AS XXXXXX, OPERATED BY XXXXXXXX, 135 CH, WHILE LANDING AT X14 LA BELLE, ON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. 2 SOB, NO INJURIES, THE PILOT AND CHECK PILOT WERE CONDUCTING A 293, 297, 299 CHECK RIDE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE THE AIRCRAFT HAS AN STC AERO SUPPORT ENGINEERING SA3197SO APPLIED, WHICH REPLACES THE NOSE GEAR SCISSORS LINK AND REPLACES THE FIX BOLT WITH A REMOVABLE PIN SO THE SCISSOR MAY BE DISCONNECTED FOR GROUND HANDLING. FURTHER INVESTIGATION; AIRCRAFT REGISTRY RECORDS REVEALS NO RECORD OF MAJOR ALTERATION OR 337 IS ON FILE FOR THIS MODIFICATION. ADDITIONALLY THE CH HAS NOT PROVIDED A LOG BOOK ENTRY FOR THIS MODIFICATION. THE P/N THAT FAILED IS MS17985C418. THIS PIN HAS PUSHBUTTON RELEASE TO PREVENT THE PIN FROM BACKING OUT. INVESTIGATION REVEALS THIS PIN BACKED OUT DURING LANDING AND THE SCISSORS DISCONNECTED CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO TURN LEFT, THE TIRE EXPLODED AND CAUSE THE TIRE TO DIG INTO THE GROUND CAUSING A NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PIN FROM THE INCIDENT SCENE DOES NOT MATCH THE DRAWING FOR THE STC.
THE FOLLOWING PILOT STATEMENT CORROBORATED THE DETERMINATION OF THE AIRWORTHINESS ISSUE.
CHECK PLIOT STATEMENT:
ON MARCH 14, 2024 I WAS CONDUCTING A PART 135.293, .297, .299 CHECK RIDE ON XXXXXXXXX, IN PIPER PA-31-350 XXXXX, ON BEHALF OF XXXXXXX AS A CONTRACT CHECK AIRMAN. OUR FLIGHT FROM FXE TO LABELLE (X14) WAS UNEVENTFUL. OUR PLAN WAS TO PERFORM THE AIRWORK AND A COUPLE OF APPROACHES AT X14, HAVE LUNCH, AND RETURN TO KFXE FOR MORE APPROACHES TO COMPLETE THE CHECK RIDE. THE AIR WORK WAS SATISFACTORY, AND WITH 2 APPROACHES COMPLETED, WE BEGAN THE SIMULATED SINGLE ENGINE LANDING MANEUVER. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS WRONG, AND THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED VERY SUDDENLY, SLOWLY DRIFTING TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, EVENTUALLY EXITING THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 10 FEET ON TO THE GRASS, WITH VERY SLOW FORWARD MOTION, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP. WE EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE PILOTS DOOR, WITH NO POST FLIGHT FIRE OR INJURIES.
PILOT STATEMENT:
WHO WAS INVOLVED '
PIC XXXXXXXXXX
CHECK AIRMAN XXXXXXXXXX
WHAT WERE WE DOING'
CHECK PILOT WAS GIVING ME A PART 135.293 ,297, & 299 FLIGHT CHECK
WHERE DID IT HAPPEN'
THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT LABELLE AIRPORT (X14)
WHEN DID IT HAPPEN'
THE FLIGHT WAS ON 14 MARCH 2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:30 LOCAL TIME.
HOW DID IT HAPPEN'
WE WERE CONDUCTING A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING MANEUVER AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN SLOWING THROUGH 70 KIAS A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION STARTED AND THE NOSE SWERVED UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE LEFT, I ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE SWERVE WITH NOSE GEAR STEERING AND BRAKING WHICH WAS FUTILE AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED HARD LEFT. THE NOSE TIRE BLEW, AND THE RIM SCRAPPED ALONG THE RUNWAY UNTIL WE EXITED IT, AND THE GEAR DUG INTO THE GRASS WHICH THEN CAUSED THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THERE WAS NO FIRE OR INJURIES