What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 26, 2025, at approximately 1000 hours EST, a routine multi-engine training flight was being conducted at Danbury Municipal Airport (dxr). After completing maneuver practice in the local training area, the flight returned to the airport to conduct landing practice.
The pilot in command (PIC) stated the first landing was a touch-and-go, flown by the student. The approach and landing were normal, with landing gear confirmed down (three green lights and visual confirmation in the mirror) and appropriate flap settings. After the touch-and-go, the aircraft re-entered the traffic pattern for runway 26.
On the second circuit, the PIC took control to demonstrate a short-field landing. The PIC stated during the downwind leg, the landing gear was extended within speed limitations, and three green lights with gear visible in the mirror were confirmed. The before-landing checklist was completed. The aircraft was instructed to extend its downwind by the tower, then cleared to turn base.
On final, the gumps checklist was completed again, final flaps were set, and gear indications were reconfirmed (three green, one in the mirror). The approach and landing were smooth and uneventful, with touchdown occurring on the thousand-foot markers.
The PIC stated during the rollout, no abnormalities were initially noted. As the aircraft exited the runway at taxiway charlie 1, the flight crew observed that the nose appeared low and that the aircraft was difficult to steer. Shortly after initiating the turn, the nose landing gear collapsed without warning.
The PIC stated they immediately performed an engine and electrical shutdown and advised the control tower. The aircraft occupants exited safely without injury. Airport management responded to the scene.
Upon inspection by FAA iic, damage was observed to both blades of the left and right engine propellers, consistent with propeller strikes due to pavement contact while under engine power and sudden stoppage. The nose landing gear exhibited extensive structural damage and was found collapsed in the forward direction, opposite of its normal retraction path (collapsed toward the aircraft’s nose).
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 26, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 HOURS EST, A ROUTINE MULTI-ENGINE TRAINING FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AT DANBURY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DXR). AFTER COMPLETING MANEUVER PRACTICE IN THE LOCAL TRAINING AREA, THE FLIGHT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT TO CONDUCT LANDING PRACTICE.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) STATED THE FIRST LANDING WAS A TOUCH-AND-GO, FLOWN BY THE STUDENT. THE APPROACH AND LANDING WERE NORMAL, WITH LANDING GEAR CONFIRMED DOWN (THREE GREEN LIGHTS AND VISUAL CONFIRMATION IN THE MIRROR) AND APPROPRIATE FLAP SETTINGS. AFTER THE TOUCH-AND-GO, THE AIRCRAFT RE-ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 26.
ON THE SECOND CIRCUIT, THE PIC TOOK CONTROL TO DEMONSTRATE A SHORT-FIELD LANDING. THE PIC STATED DURING THE DOWNWIND LEG, THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED WITHIN SPEED LIMITATIONS, AND THREE GREEN LIGHTS WITH GEAR VISIBLE IN THE MIRROR WERE CONFIRMED. THE BEFORE-LANDING CHECKLIST WAS COMPLETED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO EXTEND ITS DOWNWIND BY THE TOWER, THEN CLEARED TO TURN BASE.
ON FINAL, THE GUMPS CHECKLIST WAS COMPLETED AGAIN, FINAL FLAPS WERE SET, AND GEAR INDICATIONS WERE RECONFIRMED (THREE GREEN, ONE IN THE MIRROR). THE APPROACH AND LANDING WERE SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL, WITH TOUCHDOWN OCCURRING ON THE THOUSAND-FOOT MARKERS.
THE PIC STATED DURING THE ROLLOUT, NO ABNORMALITIES WERE INITIALLY NOTED. AS THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY AT TAXIWAY CHARLIE 1, THE FLIGHT CREW OBSERVED THAT THE NOSE APPEARED LOW AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING THE TURN, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING.
THE PIC STATED THEY IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED AN ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN AND ADVISED THE CONTROL TOWER. THE AIRCRAFT OCCUPANTS EXITED SAFELY WITHOUT INJURY. AIRPORT MANAGEMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE.
UPON INSPECTION BY FAA IIC, DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED TO BOTH BLADES OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLERS, CONSISTENT WITH PROPELLER STRIKES DUE TO PAVEMENT CONTACT WHILE UNDER ENGINE POWER AND SUDDEN STOPPAGE. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR EXHIBITED EXTENSIVE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND WAS FOUND COLLAPSED IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION, OPPOSITE OF ITS NORMAL RETRACTION PATH (COLLAPSED TOWARD THE AIRCRAFT’S NOSE).