WPR13LA174

During landing on a turf runway, the nosewheel landing gear separated. An examination of the runway surface revealed impact marks consistent with a hard landing in an almost-level attitude. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Downloaded nonvolatile memory indicated that the airplane's initial touchdown was flat or slightly negative, which resulted in the nose landing gear contacting the runway surface before the main landing gear. The data also indicated that the landing occurred at a high rate of speed and that the pilot did not attempt to flare the airplane during the landing.

On March 30, 2013 about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Van's Aircraft, RV-12, light sport airplane, N572LS, was substantially damaged during landing roll at the Wakonda Beach State Airport (R33), Waldport, Oregon. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight originated from Lenhardt Airpark (7S9), Hubbard, Oregon at 1045 with an intended destination of R33. In a written statement the pilot reported that he was conducting a landing to a full stop. During landing, as the nose wheel contacted the grass runway surface, it tucked under the airplane and separated. The airplane came to a stop on the runway leaving a long groove in the runway surface. Postaccident examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the propeller and the nose landing gear assembly were damaged. The lower forward fuselage area sustained substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector documented and photographed the runway surface. Three impact marks were visible and found consistent with the nose and main landing gears impacting the ground nearly at the same time. Three discolored indentations continued from the impact marks for about 15-feet. The center positioned indentation had gouging in the runway surface and sharp parallel grooves that continued for about 140-feet. The three impact marks originated beyond the mid-field point of the runway. The nose landing gear fork assembly was shipped to Van's Aircraft Company for further examination. According to a representative from Van's Aircraft Company, no evidence of any preimpact anomalies was present. Data from a FlightDEK-D180 electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) unit, mounted onboard the accident airplane, was downloaded for review. The data indicated that during the initial touchdown, the airplane was in a flat or slightly negative pitch attitude which would result in the nose landing gear contacting the runway first. The data indicated that the airplane landed at a high rate of speed. Representatives from Van's Aircraft Company reported that the data also indicated that there were no attempts to flare the airplane during the landing. For further information see the examination report in the public docket.