Nosewheel collapse at Parafield 28/08/22

[red750]

Two men have escaped injury after their plane landed on its nose at the Parafield Airport in Adelaide's north. 

The front nose wheel of the twin-engine Piper aircraft collapsed upon landing just after 3pm on Sunday. 

The pilot managed to steer the plane onto a grassed area before both men on board walked away unscathed. 

The plane will be towed for an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation.

A Parafield Airport spokesperson said the runway was closed until it had been cleared by ATSB.

A full runway check will be completed before flights can resume.

[onetrack]

I don't know where else you'd have a nose wheel, but at the front. At least it wasn't described as a Cessna, so some education must be getting through.

 

The Pipers seem to have the most nosewheel collapse problems of all the retractables. 

[cooperplace]

I had exactly the same thoughts: I'm glad it wasn't the rear nose wheel. And why wasn't it called a Cessna? While it's a great job by the pilot, I did wonder how much steering input he had that enabled him to steer it onto a grassy patch, especially after losing the nose wheel. maybe I'm mean-spirited. Best of all, no-one's hurt.

[red750]

It's the back nosewheel you've got to look out for. That was an unedited copy and paste.

[red750]

Do they have differential braking?

[Thruster88]

Yes differential braking would have been available. The ATSB will not investigate.  

[RFguy]

PIO and porpoising ?

[onetrack]

No, the PA-34 has a long history of nosewheel collapses. The actuation mechanism is extremely complex, and it must also be rigged precisely. See Pages 36-38 (page 2-4 of the PDF file) in the following U.K. crash extract.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f339ed915d1374000453/Piper_PA-34-200T_Seneca_II__G-BTGV_07-11.pdf

 

The aircraft involved appears to be VH-MRY.

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by onetrack