ERA15IA009

The purpose of the flight was to perform three takeoffs and landings at night. The pilot stated that the first takeoff and landing was uneventful and that, at touchdown, he used aerodynamic braking to slow the airplane by keeping its nose off the runway as long as possible. He added that the second landing was faster, that more runway was used, and that the nose landing gear (NLG) touched down "harder" than during the first landing. After the NLG touched down, the airplane pulled right and developed a shimmy. The pilot subsequently lost directional control of the airplane, and the NLG collapsed. Examination of the fracture surfaces on the NLG revealed features consistent with ductile overstress fracture. The overall fracture pattern was consistent with fracture under a lateral bending load.

On October 1, 2014, about 2105 eastern daylight time, a Funk Velocity XLRG experimental amateur-built airplane, N301EF, sustained minor damage during a hard landing to Cobb County – McCollum Field (RYY), Atlanta, Georgia. The private pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight which departed RYY about 2105. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.In a written statement, the pilot stated that he intended to perform 3 takeoffs and landings for the purpose of maintaining night currency. He said the first takeoff and landing were uneventful, and that at touchdown he used "aerodynamic braking to slow down by keeping the nose off the runway as long as possible." The pilot explained that the second landing was the same as the first, only the approach was faster and more runway was used. He said, "I started braking as I dropped the nose and it came down harder than the first landing." The pilot stated that after the nose gear touched down, the airplane was "pulling" to the right, and developed a shimmy. He said he attempted to maintain directional control with braking as the shimmy in the front end intensified, and then the nose gear subsequently collapsed, which resulted in minor damage to the nose landing gear doors and the nose enclosure. The pilot added that he has had the nose "drop harder onto the runway in the past with no ill consequences." The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued December 12, 2012. He reported 926 total hours of flight experience, of which 774 hours were in the incident airplane make and model. According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 2002. Its most recent conditional inspection was completed June 26, 2014 at 321 total aircraft hours. According to maintenance records, a refurbished nose landing gear was installed September 26, 2014. At 2120, the weather observation at RYY included clear skies and calm winds. Examination of the airplane by an FAA aviation safety inspector revealed minor damage to the nose landing gear doors and the nose enclosure. On October 27, 2014, the fractured segments of the nose landing gear leg were examined in the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, DC. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed features consistent with ductile overstress fracture. The overall fracture pattern was consistent with fracture under a lateral bending load.