ERA22LA121

After landing on the turf runway, the airplane drifted slightly to the right of the centerline and the pilot corrected with differential braking and left rudder, which brought the airplane back toward the centerline. When the speed reduced to less than 20 knots, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the lower engine mount was damaged. A landing gear trunnion bolt and fitting were found to have fractured consistent with overload, suggesting they fractured during the collapse rather than beforehand. Remnants of grass from the turf runway were found around the circumference of the right side of the nose landing gear wheel, between the wheel rim and the tire. This is consistent with a significant lateral load on the wheel from the right side, while the wheel was rotating (distributing grass around its circumference). Although it could not be determined when the lateral load occurred, the pilot reported correcting the airplane heading to the left during the landing roll, and tire marks showed the airplane veering left at the end of the landing roll. The lateral load on the nosewheel likely resulted in the overload failure of the trunnion bolt and fitting.

On February 1, 2022, at 1230 eastern standard time, a Piper PA46-350P, N35CM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Crystal River, Florida. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that during landing on the turf runway 18 at the Crystal River Airport (CGC), Crystal River, Florida, the airplane touched down near the beginning of the runway at a speed of about 70 knots. He applied normal braking, and the airplane drifted slightly right of centerline. He then applied “less right brake and more left rudder” and the airplane corrected back toward the runway centerline. After the speed reduced to “below 20 knots” the nosewheel suddenly collapsed. Tire marks on the runway near the end of the rollout veered toward the left. Examination of the accident site and airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the airplane continued about 20 ft after the nose gear collapsed. The lower engine mount, to which the nose gear trunnion was attached, was substantially damaged. Remnants of grass were found along the circumference of the nose gear wheel, between the wheel rim and the tire. Airport personnel found a fractured bolt and fractured landing gear trunnion fitting on the runway. Examination of the fractures revealed that they were consistent with overload. The bolt exhibited features consistent with tension and bending.