ANC98LA097

The commercial air taxi pilot-in-command (PIC) was taking a routine competency flight check from an FAA inspector. The FAA inspector asked the PIC to perform a landing on a turf runway, and to stop short of a designated spot on the field. The pilot made an uneventful landing, but was unable to stop the airplane prior to the designated spot. The airplane continued to roll on the turf runway, but soon encountered a large, unseen, hole about midfield. The nosewheel entered the hole, and the nose landing gear subsequently collapsed. The PIC reported he had received a standard weather briefing via telephone from an FAA Flight Service Station specialist just prior to the flight, but had received no information about the hole in the middle of the runway. A review of the Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) disclosed an active NOTAM regarding a 24 inch deep, by 6 feet wide hole, midfield of the runway the PIC landed on. This NOTAM was not given to the PIC during his weather briefing as required by the FAA Air Traffic Control procedures manual.

On July 14, 1998, about 1030 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N8698N, received substantial damage while landing at the Nenana Airport, Nenana, Alaska. Neither the commercial certificated pilot-in-command (PIC), or the airline transport certificated FAA inspector aboard, reported any injuries. The local, 14 CFR Part 91 flight, departed Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 1000. The purpose of the flight was for the PIC to receive a 14 CFR Part 135.299 check ride from the FAA inspector. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and a VFR company flight plan was in effect.

Telephone conversations with the PIC on July 16, and the FAA inspector on July 15, disclosed the following information. The flight had proceeded uneventfully until the landing at Nenana. The FAA inspector requested the PIC to make a landing on runway 3C at Nenana. Runway 3C is a turf runway, and the FAA inspector indicated to the PIC he wanted the airplane stopped prior to a certain point on the runway. During the final stages of the landing roll, while on the runway and moving at a relatively slow ground speed, the airplane's nose wheel encountered a large, unseen, hole. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed, damaging the firewall bulkhead.

The PIC reported he had requested a standard weather briefing for the flight from the Fairbanks Flight Service Station (FSS) prior to departure. He said he did not receive a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) concerning a large hole in the runway at Nenana. He did receive two other NOTAMs, relating to an active restricted area, and parachute jumping. He said he reviewed the NOTAM file at the FSS after the accident, and discovered there was an active NOTAM for Nenana referencing a large hole about midfield on runway 3C/21C.

Initial information received from FAA Air Traffic Quality Assurance personnel indicate that there was an active NOTAM regarding the hole in the runway at the time of the accident, and that the pilot did not receive the NOTAM information from the FSS briefing specialist as required.

Postaccident inspection of runway 3C/21C at Nenana by an FAA inspector, discovered a large hole about 18 inches deep, by 6 feet wide, in the middle of the runway. After the FAA inspector's evaluation of the runway, the airport manager elected to close runway 3C/21C to all operations.

A review of the existing NOTAMs active at the time of the accident disclosed a NOTAM for runway 3C/21C. The NOTAM read, in part: "3C/21C 24 inch deep by 6 feet wide hole at runway midpoint."

The transcript provided by the FAA of the telephone weather briefing between the FSS specialist and the accident pilot, disclosed that the specialist did not mention the existence of the 3C/21C runway NOTAM.

The FAA Air traffic Control manual, 7110.10M, Section 2, Preflight Pilot Briefing, says, in part: "8. Notices to Airmen (a) Provide available NOTAM (L) (flight plan area only) and NOTAM (D) information pertinent to the flight."