N57ME

On March 13, 2006, at 1045 eastern standard time, an E&M Newton RV-6A, N57ME, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, nosed over during landing roll at Miller Airpark, Mooresville, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airline transport rated pilot reported minor injuries and the airplane received substantial damage. The flight originated from the Miller Airpark, Mooresville, North Carolina, on March 13, 2006, at 1000.

The pilot stated that he made a normal approach to runway 36, which is a 2,000-foot smooth grass runway. During the touchdown the airplane skipped slightly and then touched down normally. The pilot stated that during the roll out everything was normal until the nose started to drop. He applied full up elevator but could not arrest the descent of the nose. The airplane slid approximately 40 feet and then nosed over inverted. After he exited the airplane and examined the nose gear he found that the nose gear was bent aft. Further examination revealed that there was a dead rabbit just prior to where the nose gear started making a trench in the grass. The airplane came to a stop in the center of the runway with approximately 900 feet remaining on the runway. The pilot did not report any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.

Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed the first ground scar was 1,000 feet from the approach end of runway 36. Within the first three feet of the ground scar there was a 15-inch long lifeless rabbit. The airplane came to rest inverted on the canopy facing south, 1,180 feet from the approach end of runway 36.

The nose landing gear was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board materials laboratory for further examination. The wheel was removed, dissembled, and no mechanical defects were noted during the examination. Due to the reported animal impact of the nose landing gear, a swab was taken from the inside wheel fairing. A phenolphthalein presumptive blood test was performed on the swab, and the result was positive for blood.