N3187Z

On August 4, 1996, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Maule MT-7-235, N3187Z, sustained substantial damage when the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over during landing in Poseyville, Indiana. The private pilot and one passenger reported no injury. The local, personal flight originated about 1530 and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that he had made two landings and takeoffs. During the third landing, the airplane touched down, rolled down the runway, the nose gear collapsed, and the propeller went into the ground. During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was "not very familiar" with the airplane and he "didn't know the nose was so heavy." He reported that the airplane did not bounce during the landing and he believed the airplane was "rolling" when the nose dropped.

The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector who examined the airplane reported that the nose was crushed at a 20 to 30 degree angle due to a "substantial impact". The strut was fractured near the fork. Four "prop strikes" proceeded the primary ground scar. He reported that "it appears that the aircraft either bounced first, or just landed in an extremely nose down condition." He reported no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.