Pilot Debrief

CZECH AIRCRAFT WORKS SPOL SRO SPORTCRUISER near Fresno, CA — 2015-05-24

Final reportGAA15LA092
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Date
2015-05-24
Location
Fresno, CA, USA
Airport
FCH
Aircraft
CZECH AIRCRAFT WORKS SPOL SRO SPORTCRUISER
Registration
N642JB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The failure of the nose landing gear (NLG) leg due to fatigue fractures, which resulted in the NLG collapsing during landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the third landing of the flight and as the nose landing gear (NLG) touched down, an immediate shimmy developed that sounded "clunky." The NLG subsequently collapsed, and the light-sport airplane then skidded to a stop on the runway and sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot stated that the landing flare was "normal" and that the main landing gear touched down first. He reported that there were no anomalies with the landing gear during the previous two landings. Examination of the NLG assembly revealed that the NLG leg was fractured at the weld joint in the upper attachment area and that the fracture features were consistent with fatigue cracking. Multiple fatigue fracture origins were found at the forward edge of the assembly weld on the left side of the NLG leg. The fatigue crack penetrated about 50 percent of the NLG leg's cross-section and was consistent with side-to-side loading of the leg.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Failure to replace the nose gear with the improved assembly as recommended in the service bulletin.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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