Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which led to a hard landing and the subsequent collapse of the nosewheel landing gear due to the overstress failure of the nosewheel landing gear trunnion casting.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On October 19, 2017, at 1300 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T airplane, N633CB, experienced a nose landing gear collapse and an impact with a taxiway surface during an after-landing taxi at Charles R Johnson Airport (T05), Port Mansfield, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial fuselage damage. The private pilot and a commercial pilot were uninjured. The airplane was registered to PKJ Aviation LLC and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a part 91 personal flight. The flight was operating on an instrument rules flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed from Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, Houston, Texas, at 1041 and was destined to T05.
The private pilot stated that he had pitched the nose up "slightly" and reduced engine power prior to the main landing gear wheels touching down on the runway. The nose wheel landing gear then touched down and collapsed.
Post-accident examination of the nose landing gear revealed a fractured trunnion casting. Metallurgical examination of the trunnion casting revealed fractures consistent with overstress. No evidence of preexisting cracks was observed on any of the fracture surfaces. No other mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal airplane operation were noted.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN18LA017