Amateur-built PULSAR XP SERIES I N452PC accident near Bremerton, Washington

Probable cause

Fatigue failure of the nose landing gear retention and pivot shaft, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the nose gear wheel and tire assembly.

NTSB analysis

During takeoff, the builder/owner/pilot of the experimental kit-built airplane did not notice any abnormalities. While airborne, he received a radio call from personnel at the airport advising him that a nose landing gear wheel and tire assembly had been found on the runway; they stated that they believed it had separated from his airplane. The pilot flew back to the airport and conducted a low pass, and the airport personnel confirmed that the airplane was missing its nose gear wheel and tire assembly. After flying for about 30 minutes so appropriate emergency services preparations could be made, the pilot landed the airplane. During the landing roll, the airplane settled on its nose, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. Examination of the airplane revealed that the steel shaft that attached the nose gear fork to the gear leg and functioned as its pivot axis had failed in reverse (bi-directional) bending fatigue. The underlying reason(s) for the fatigue failure could not be not determined. The pilot reported that similar previous failures had occurred on this model airplane. Because the kit manufacturer was no longer in business, some airplane owners had developed their own modifications to the nose gear assembly, but the accident airplane's nose gear had not been modified.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR14LA179 for the full record.