CEN17LA235

The private pilot stated that the airplane touched down about halfway down the turf runway and that the landing was normal until the nosewheel touched down, when he heard a loud noise from the nose landing gear area. The airplane nosed over on the runway and came to rest inverted. Markings in the turf showed 3 tire tracks consistent with all three landing gear. The center tire mark transitioned into two parallel tracks consistent with the nose gear fork dragging through the grass. About 20 ft later, there was a single track in the runway with about six perpendicular propeller slash marks through the track, consistent with the nose gear strut collapsing and the rotating propeller striking the ground as the airplane continued forward. The nose wheel axle tube was found near the end of the slash marks. The single track continued to the main wreckage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nose wheel had separated from the nose gear fork, and the fork separated from the strut. A grease seal ring from the nose wheel assembly and a portion of the nose wheel axle tube were found in the debris path. The nose wheel axle bolt was not recovered. The available evidence is consistent with the nose wheel axle bolt separating from the wheel, which resulted in separation of the nosewheel. The nose wheel axle bolt was not found during the investigation; therefore, the reason for its separation could not be determined.

On June 17, 2017, about 0945 central daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N6196B, nosed over after landing on turf runway 17 at Mike's Place Airport (96OK), Buffalo, Oklahoma. The two pilots and one passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Alva Regional Airport (AVK), Alva, Oklahoma, about 0915 and was destined for 96OK. The pilot reported that the airplane touched down about midfield and the landing was normal until the nose wheel touched down. He heard a loud noise from the nose landing gear area. The airplane nosed over on the runway and came to rest inverted (figure 1). Figure 1 – Accident site The landing path consisted of three parallel tire marks on the grass runway. A grease seal ring from the nose wheel assembly was found next to the center tire mark. The center tire mark transitioned into two parallel tracks in the grass; the tracks were about 1 ft wide and extended for about 8 ft in a straight line. About 20 ft later, there was a single track in the runway with about 6 perpendicular slash marks through the track. The nose wheel axle tube was found near the end of the slash marks. The single track continued to the main wreckage. The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the vertical stabilizer. The nose wheel was separated from the nose gear fork and the fork separated from the strut. A grease seal ring from the nose wheel assembly and a portion of the nose wheel axle tube were found in the debris path. The nose wheel axle bolt (figure 2) had separated and was not found. There were no preaccident anomalies noted with the recovered components. Figure 2 – Nose landing gear depiction A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that during the most recent annual inspection on April 8, 2017, the wheel bearings were packed. No other recent maintenance had been completed on the landing gear system.