Beechcraft 33 Debonair, N35SN, 22 September 2012
Beechcraft 33 Debonair, N35SN
Summary:
The aircraft was landing at Perranporth after a flight from Old Sarum. The weather was fine, with a 15 kt easterly wind. The pilot made a normal approach to Runway 09, with both a green light and a mechanical indicator confirming that the landing gear was locked down. As the pilot lowered the nose after touchdown, he heard and felt an impact. He immediately pulled back on the control column to keep the nose off the runway, while steering with rudder and brakes. Eventually, the nose dropped fully to the ground and the aircraft slid to a halt on the runway, about 45° offset from the centreline. The pilot, who was uninjured, secured the aircraft and vacated it. This required going forward from the cabin door and over the wing, as the rear step was too high off the ground.
The pilot reported that the nose landing gear had suffered a mechanical failure. A knowledgeable witness in the control tower had reportedly observed the landing gear to be down prior to landing, and saw the nose gear collapse after a short ground roll. The reason for the failure of the nose landing gear has yet to be established.
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