Piper PA-28-180 N7461W accident near Gallipolis, Ohio

Probable cause

A collapse of the nose landing gear during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with an approach lighting system.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot approached the runway for landing and described that the main landing gear first touched down first. The nose landing gear then contacted the runway and immediately collapsed. The student pilot applied the brakes and the airplane departed the left side of the runway onto the grass. The airplane struck a lighting system and came to rest about 35 ft from the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported “there were no visible signs of mechanical failure” on the nose landing gear prior to the accident flight, and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the nose landing gear after the accident did not observe any mechanical discrepancies.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA002 for the full record.