MCCAULEY GENE E RV-6A near Kokomo, IN — 2010-09-18

Probable cause

Collapse of the nose landing gear during landing rollout on an unpaved runway due to a loss of ground clearance with the landing gear fork, causing the airplane to nose over.

NTSB narrative

The airplane encountered a rise in the turf runway during the landing rollout. The nose landing gear left the ground momentarily and when it came back down it partially collapsed causing the airplane to nose over. The pilot noted that he had relaxed the flight controls and did not have the elevator held up at the time. He added that this was his third landing on the runway that day, and that he normally tried to avoid that area of the runway. A postaccident inspection revealed that the nose landing gear remained attached to the engine mount. However, the strut was curled aft with the nose wheel assembly rotated approximately 90 degrees. The nose wheel assembly and fairing remained attached to the strut. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing, and empennage when it nosed over. Examination of the runway noted a slight rise approximately one-third of the way down the runway. A ground scar consistent with being formed by the nose landing gear was observed down field from the rise. The nose landing gear had been modified in accordance with the airplane kit manufacturer's service bulletin. The bulletin provided for additional ground-to-nose landing gear fork clearance in an effort to reduce the possibility of nose gear collapse and nose over accidents. A review of prior accident reports involving collapse of the nose gear during landing rollout indicated that they all occurred on unpaved runways.

Analysis

Primary failure mode

Mechanical failure

First missed decision gate

Pilot could have avoided the area of the runway with a rise during landing.

NTSB coding

• Landing gear collapse · Landing-landing roll

Evidence available

• 6 docket documents

Docket documents6

• Airplane Kit Manufacturer -- Information Letterform
• Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1form
• Airplane Kit Manufacturer -- Service Bulletinother
• Airplane Kit Manufacturer -- Service Letterother
• Airplane Maintenance Logs -- Excerptsother
• Conversation Record -- Pilotother

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