ANC03LA128

The commercial certificated pilot/aviation mechanic was landing on a remote ridge on a positioning flight to pick up a passenger for an air taxi flight. The gravel covered ridge was about 3,973 feet msl, and was covered by about 1 to 2 inches of snow. After a soft field landing touchdown, the nose gear collapsed during the landing roll, and the propeller struck the ground. The pilot indicated that he believed the bolt attaching the nose wheel fork to the nose gear strut failed, allowing the nose wheel to separate from the lower end of the gear strut. A postaccident inspection of the nose gear and its support structure revealed that the nose wheel strut drag link was torn from its aft attach point. The keel bulkhead at the drag link attach point received tearing and shearing of the rivets and deformation.

On September 18, 2003, about 0930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N275F, sustained substantial damage when the nose wheel collapsed during the taxi from landing on a remote ridge, about 45 miles south-southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Arctic Air Alaska Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The pilot also holds a mechanic certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, about 0900.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 19, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot had landed on a ridge to pick up a passenger. The director of operations said the pilot told him that the ridge was about 3,973 feet msl, and was covered by about 1 to 2 inches of snow over small rocks. After a soft field landing touchdown, the nose gear collapsed during the landing roll, and the propeller struck the ground.

In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, the pilot reported that during the landing roll, he felt a slight bump, and indicated that he believed "the bolt holding the nose fork to the nose strut broke, causing the nose fork to depart the aircraft." The end of the nose gear strut then dug into the ground, and the nose gear was folded aft.

On October 21, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported that a postaccident inspection of the nose gear and its support structure revealed that the nose wheel strut drag link was torn from its aft attach point. The keel bulkhead at the drag link attach point received tearing and shearing of the rivets and deformation.