VAF Forums - RV-A Nose Gear Failure Survey and Data

Based on comments here at VAF and our own ideas, Tony and I have put together a survey to collect data on RV-A model nose gear failures.

In keeping with Mike's (Kuhuna) comments, this will be web based, easy to use, albeit a lot longer than I originally thought it would be. We're trying to find out about the pilot, the plane, the landing surface, and the plane's configuration at the time of the accident.

Please give us your input. If there's something that's confusing, missing, or excessive, let us know. We're looking for input on this last draft of the questions for the survey program we hope to launch this Wednesday. The survey will be for all RV-A pilot.

We'll post the link to the survey when we're ready to go live. And finally, sorry about the formatting - I think you can see what each question is and the options are. And thanks for your input!

Section 1 is for all RV-A pilots
1 Report Type Non Incident/Accident Report Incident/Accident Report
2 Data Source Pilot/Owner First hand Knowledge NTSB Report Data Entry Person + Text Box for comments
3 Your Name
4 Your Email Address
5 Please enter the aircraft registration #
6 Model RV-6A RV-7A RV-8A RV-10 RV-6A RV-12 RV-14
7 Engine Type 320 360 Parallel 360 Angle 390 540 Parallel
8 Propeller Type FP Wood FP Metal FP Composite CS Metal CS Composite Other
9 Year placed in service
10 Nose Wheel Bearing Type Stock Anti-Splat Grove Wheel Beringer Matco Other
11 Any nose gear leg reinforcement installed No Wooden Stiffener Some kind of glass wrap Anti-Splat Nose Job Other
12 Any nose skid plate device installed? No Anti-Splat Lip Skid Custom Skid Device
13 Aircraft Empty Weight in lbs
14 Nose weight at last weight and balance in lbs
15 Was Vans Service Bulletin 07-11-09 Fork Modification Done Yes No Unknown
16 Rough tire pressures kept on the nose wheel in lbs
17 Pilot Name
18 Pilot total Time
19 Pilot total time in Type
20 # of RV-A Landings on Paved
21 # of RV-A Landings on Un-improved high quality
22 # of RV-A Landings on Un-improved average quality
23 # of RV-A Landings on Un-improved low quality

Section 2 is for only person with incident/accident information on RV Nose Gear Failures.
24 Approximate Date of Incident/Accident
25 Runway Location
26 How did the gear fail Slight tuck under, no prop strike Tuck under with prop strike Flip Over Not sure
27 Runway surface type Paved Grass Gravel Dirt On taxiway
28 Runway surface quality High quality Average quality Low quality
29 Runway surface condition Dry Wet Muddy
30 Approximate speed in MPH at the time of the incident
31 Flap position Full Flaps Partial Flaps No Flaps Not sure
32 Braking Action at onset of incident No Braking Light Braking Medium Braking Heavy Braking
33 Stick position at onset of incident Centered Slight aft Medium aft Full aft
34 Approximate amount of weight Pilot
35 Approximate amount of weight of Passenger
36 Approximate amount of weight of Fuel
37 Approximate amount of weight of Baggage Rear
38 Approximate amount of weight of Baggage Front
39 Approximate total time on plane at time of incident
40 Was the nose wheel pant on at the time of the incident Yes No
41 Any details, or other pertinent information that you think might be useful?