Aircraft damaged as nose gear collapses and it experiences a runway excursion.

Attributes
ACN	240118
Time
Date	199304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x25
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 52 flight time total : 5402 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	240118
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

A routine landing was being conducted on a turf strip 2450 ft by 50 ft. During the landing rollout, the nose gear hit a recessed sprinkler on the runway turf which was not visible, nor was it marked or idented. As the nose gear passed over the recessed sprinkler and upon hitting the turf at the edge of the sprinkler the nose gear buckled and the aircraft veered to the left coming to a stop off the turf runway. I believe a safety hazard exists if there are fixtures that are not marked or otherwise idented within the marked runway area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED AS NOSE GEAR COLLAPSES AND IT EXPERIENCES A RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: A ROUTINE LNDG WAS BEING CONDUCTED ON A TURF STRIP 2450 FT BY 50 FT. DURING THE LNDG ROLLOUT, THE NOSE GEAR HIT A RECESSED SPRINKLER ON THE RWY TURF WHICH WAS NOT VISIBLE, NOR WAS IT MARKED OR IDENTED. AS THE NOSE GEAR PASSED OVER THE RECESSED SPRINKLER AND UPON HITTING THE TURF AT THE EDGE OF THE SPRINKLER THE NOSE GEAR BUCKLED AND THE ACFT VEERED TO THE L COMING TO A STOP OFF THE TURF RWY. I BELIEVE A SAFETY HAZARD EXISTS IF THERE ARE FIXTURES THAT ARE NOT MARKED OR OTHERWISE IDENTED WITHIN THE MARKED RWY AREA.

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.