Nose Wheel Pant broke in Half !

[Vern]

[IMG][/IMG]

This happened on landing. The rear broke in a clean line and was on the runway.

Aircraft had just passed 500 hours recently.

[Mike S]

Wierd

At least it will be easy to repair.

[Pat Stewart]

Originally Posted by Vern

[IMG][/IMG]

This happened on landing. The rear broke in a clean line and was on the runway.

Aircraft had just passed 500 hours recently.

I would call Vans, fiberglass does not break that way unless laid up that way, manufacturing defect.

[Michael White]

Originally Posted by Vern

[IMG][/IMG]

Dang speed bumps!

[DanH]

I've seen that before.....the airplane parked next to mine at OSH last year had the same break.....something about a shimmy on landing.

[rockwoodrv9]

I have done more than my share of fiberglass work and I have never seen a break like that. Somewhere in the production, it looks like something went wrong. I believe it would be difficult to cut the pant that straight with a grinder.

[burgundyja]

termites

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by DanH

I've seen that before.....the airplane parked next to mine at OSH last year had the same break.....something about a shimmy on landing.

Severe shimmy was going to be my first guess.
Check the nose fork friction and let us know what the value is.

[vfr800]

Just a thought... Is there damage right where a chock would rest behind the nose wheel? Tough to tell for certain the the pics, but the chock lines up with the break it seems.

Starting the engine with the chock aft of the wheel can cause the nose to squat down with the fairing getting damaged, possibly causing a weak spot that gave out during the landing roll.

Probably not the cause, but if there's any aligned indentation on the underside and this history it could be contributory. My 2 cents, and may be worth less!

[TSwezey]

Originally Posted by Vern

[IMG][/IMG]

This happened on landing. The rear broke in a clean line and was on the runway.

Aircraft had just passed 500 hours recently.

Were you at Signature at PDK? Mine cracked in half just like that. The line guys at signature rammed a chock up the back of the wheel. I left half of it on the center line at Savannah. I had to tell a USAir flight to go around.