Narrative:

We were commencing a flight from rdd to napa, ca. This was to be an IFR x-country training flight. My student occupied the left seat and I occupied the right. My student had control. While established on the taxiway, straight ahead at approximately 5 mph, my student asked if I would like to check my brakes. I responded and announced that I had control. As I commenced my brake check, applying the brakes simultaneously, smoothly and cautiously (I was about 1/2 way toward the brake pressure I normally require for stopping), the nose gear oleo collapsed suddenly, followed by a loud cracking sound. The nose gear assembly collapsed, retracted. The nose of the aircraft dropped to the pavement, allowing the propellers to contact the ground. We shutdown, secured and evacked the aircraft. No injury, fire or further complication occurred. A thorough check of the cockpit showed all switches and selectors in the correct/normal position, including the landing gear selector. No apparent human performance deviations are a consideration. I have been informed that the primary anchor for the nose gear had failed at a bulkhead. The FAA in their initial phone contact with me advised that this occurrence would be handed as an incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHILE TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE COMMENCING A FLT FROM RDD TO NAPA, CA. THIS WAS TO BE AN IFR X-COUNTRY TRNING FLT. MY STUDENT OCCUPIED THE LEFT SEAT AND I OCCUPIED THE RIGHT. MY STUDENT HAD CTL. WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE TXWY, STRAIGHT AHEAD AT APPROX 5 MPH, MY STUDENT ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE TO CHK MY BRAKES. I RESPONDED AND ANNOUNCED THAT I HAD CTL. AS I COMMENCED MY BRAKE CHK, APPLYING THE BRAKES SIMULTANEOUSLY, SMOOTHLY AND CAUTIOUSLY (I WAS ABOUT 1/2 WAY TOWARD THE BRAKE PRESSURE I NORMALLY REQUIRE FOR STOPPING), THE NOSE GEAR OLEO COLLAPSED SUDDENLY, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD CRACKING SOUND. THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY COLLAPSED, RETRACTED. THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED TO THE PAVEMENT, ALLOWING THE PROPS TO CONTACT THE GND. WE SHUTDOWN, SECURED AND EVACKED THE ACFT. NO INJURY, FIRE OR FURTHER COMPLICATION OCCURRED. A THOROUGH CHK OF THE COCKPIT SHOWED ALL SWITCHES AND SELECTORS IN THE CORRECT/NORMAL POS, INCLUDING THE LNDG GEAR SELECTOR. NO APPARENT HUMAN PERFORMANCE DEVIATIONS ARE A CONSIDERATION. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE PRIMARY ANCHOR FOR THE NOSE GEAR HAD FAILED AT A BULKHEAD. THE FAA IN THEIR INITIAL PHONE CONTACT WITH ME ADVISED THAT THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD BE HANDED AS AN INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.