N165CT

On May 23, 2023, about 0946 eastern daylight time, a Flight Design GMBH CTSW, N165CT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Richmond Field Airport (69G), Gregory, Michigan. The pilot was not injured. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.

The pilot reported that after a 40-minute flight he overflew 69G to familiarize himself with the area and the condition of the turf runway before he entered a left traffic pattern for runway 36. The automated weather observing system reported the wind was nearly calm. He flew the final approach at the “appropriate speed with 40 degrees of flaps” extended. During the landing, the nose landing gear gently bounced after touchdown then the nose collapsed, and the airplane nosed over.

The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that the nose landing gear strut was found separated at the fork. A flight control continuity check was completed, and no anomalies were found. Photos of the airplane revealed the fuselage and empennage sustained substantial damage.

Metallurgical examination of the nose landing gear rotation unit revealed the fracture surfaces were consistent with shear overstress. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the nose landing gear had been replaced two previous times due to hard landing events. No anomalies were noted with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Recorded wind at the time of the accident was from 140° at 4 knots.