What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 05/09/2025 aircraft, privacy data omitted, was being operated for instruction. During the landing at Vero Beach regional airport (vrb) the aircraft touched down on the runway surface, and the nose landing gear (NLG) collapsed. Both of the main landing gear (MLG) remained in the down and locked position. The underside of nose cone of the aircraft contacted the runway surface. Both propellers contacted the runway and are damaged beyond repair.
The student pilot was at the controls during the incident. Both the instructor and student pilots reported they saw three green illuminated landing gear indicator lights. Both pilots verified the NLG was in the down position by a mirror located on the inboard side of the left engine cowling. Neither pilot noticed any condition that would indicate an unsafe condition with the landing gear. Both pilots confirmed this was to be a full stop landing.
The certificate holder of the operation has had four NLG collapses in the previous five months. There are currently 2 airworthiness directives (AD) that address the inspection of certain component of the PA-32 NLG harware and associated systems. A review of the aircraft maintenance logs indicate that the repair facility (P39R) has complied with the ADS for this specific model aircraft (AD 2022-09-13 & AD 2005-13-16)
As the FAA filed it
ON 05/09/2025 AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS BEING OPERATED FOR INSTRUCTION. DURING THE LANDING AT VERO BEACH REGIONAL AIRPORT (VRB) THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE, AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR (NLG) COLLAPSED. BOTH OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR (MLG) REMAINED IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. THE UNDERSIDE OF NOSE CONE OF THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE. BOTH PROPELLERS CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND ARE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR.
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS AT THE CONTROLS DURING THE INCIDENT. BOTH THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOTS REPORTED THEY SAW THREE GREEN ILLUMINATED LANDING GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS. BOTH PILOTS VERIFIED THE NLG WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION BY A MIRROR LOCATED ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE LEFT ENGINE COWLING. NEITHER PILOT NOTICED ANY CONDITION THAT WOULD INDICATE AN UNSAFE CONDITION WITH THE LANDING GEAR. BOTH PILOTS CONFIRMED THIS WAS TO BE A FULL STOP LANDING.
THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER OF THE OPERATION HAS HAD FOUR NLG COLLAPSES IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE MONTHS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 2 AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES (AD) THAT ADDRESS THE INSPECTION OF CERTAIN COMPONENT OF THE PA-32 NLG HARWARE AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGS INDICATE THAT THE REPAIR FACILITY (P39R) HAS COMPLIED WITH THE ADS FOR THIS SPECIFIC MODEL AIRCRAFT (AD 2022-09-13 & AD 2005-13-16)
Other reports on N56676 · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.