A long-ez on landing had the nosewheel depart the landing gear strut incurring damage to the aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	510346
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zsu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 290 flight time type : 89
ASRS Report	510346
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
Publication	INSPECTION MANUAL

Narrative:

During a normal approach and landing at airport, the front landing gear wheel on my long-ez detached from the landing gear strut, which caused the nose gear to collapse and further caused the airplane nose to contact the runway. The airplane was ctlable with the main gear brakes and directional control was maintained until the aircraft came to a stop. There were no injuries. There was minor damage to the aircraft nose section and the nose gear shock strut. Subsequent examination of the bolts attaching the landing gear wheel assembly to the nose strut revealed hidden corrosion that may have caused the failure. An FAA inspector examined the bolts and stated 'they were corroded almost all the way through.' the aircraft had recently (jan/01) had a very thorough annual (conditional) inspection. There is no specific instruction in the long-ez manual calling for an inspection of these bolts. To prevent recurrence of this problem, I am adding a line item to my annual inspection to have these bolts examined and retorqued. I will also be taking a close look at the bolts on every preflight inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LONG-EZ ON LNDG HAD THE NOSEWHEEL DEPART THE LNDG GEAR STRUT INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. CAUSED BY CORRODED WHEEL BOLTS.

Narrative: DURING A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AT ARPT, THE FRONT LNDG GEAR WHEEL ON MY LONG-EZ DETACHED FROM THE LNDG GEAR STRUT, WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND FURTHER CAUSED THE AIRPLANE NOSE TO CONTACT THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE WAS CTLABLE WITH THE MAIN GEAR BRAKES AND DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS MAINTAINED UNTIL THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT NOSE SECTION AND THE NOSE GEAR SHOCK STRUT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE BOLTS ATTACHING THE LNDG GEAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO THE NOSE STRUT REVEALED HIDDEN CORROSION THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE BOLTS AND STATED 'THEY WERE CORRODED ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH.' THE ACFT HAD RECENTLY (JAN/01) HAD A VERY THOROUGH ANNUAL (CONDITIONAL) INSPECTION. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION IN THE LONG-EZ MANUAL CALLING FOR AN INSPECTION OF THESE BOLTS. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE OF THIS PROB, I AM ADDING A LINE ITEM TO MY ANNUAL INSPECTION TO HAVE THESE BOLTS EXAMINED AND RETORQUED. I WILL ALSO BE TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT THE BOLTS ON EVERY PREFLT INSPECTION.

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.

A long-ez on landing had the nosewheel depart the landing gear strut incurring damage to the aircraft. Caused by corroded wheel bolts.