ERA12LA061

After touchdown, with a left crosswind of about 6 knots, the student pilot reported a strong vibration in the wheels and a pull to the left. He applied power to abort the landing, but did not maintain directional control, and, as a result, the airplane departed the left side of the runway, collapsing the nose landing gear. Postaccident inspection of the nose landing gear shimmy damper revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

On November 2, 2011, about 1715 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172R, N212CF, registered to FL Flyers LLC, operated by Frederick Flight Center, experienced a loss of control during landing at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), Frederick, Maryland. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight from Carroll County Regional Airport/Jack B Poage Field (DMW), Westminster, Maryland. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 20 minutes earlier from DMW. The student pilot stated that the accident flight was his fourth solo flight. He departed FDK and flew to DMW where he performed a full-stop landing. He later reported noticing a "slight shutter in the wheels during the landing roll but no steering issue was noticed." He departed to return to FDK, and entered the traffic pattern for landing on runway 23. He reported that the approach was flown at 70 knots, and after a smooth touchdown, he reported that almost immediately he, “…felt a strong vibration in the wheels and a pull to the left….” He applied power to go around, and attempted to keep the longitudinal axis of the airplane aligned with the runway but the airplane veered to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane came to an abrupt stop with the nose pitched into the ground. Postaccident inspection of the airplane and airport were performed by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector. The inspector reported that black marks on the runway were noted to the runway edge, consistent with brake application. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear was folded under the airplane, and further inspection of the nose landing gear shimmy damper revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. A surface observation weather report taken at the accident airport at 1710, or approximately 5 minutes before the accident indicates in part that the wind was from 160 degrees at 6 knots.