PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 5; Flight Crew Total 116; Flight Crew Type 116
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Aircraft
I approached the airport for a full-stop landing after an uneventful flight. I had not noticed anything amiss on my extensive preflight inspection. At the conclusion of a stabilized approach through the left downwind for our cleared runway; I touched down on the rear mains; as trained; and slowly released back pressure to allow the nose wheel to contact the runway. I smoothly applied brake pressure and as we slowed down; suddenly; the toe-brake assembly began to vibrate and shake violently; and a thud was heard and a scraping/grinding sound was heard. The runway filled our view as the gear fork ground down and the aircraft nosed-down slightly. My passenger and I immediately performed all emergency shutdown actions and exited the aircraft. We noticed that the tips of the prop had struck the ground upon exit. We made our way off the runway and awaited assistance. The landing had been uneventful aside from those last few moments; and once it happened; it was sudden and frightening; and almost paralyzing. Having a passenger-pilot certainly helped in such a stressful situation. It appears to have been a mechanical failure in the nose-gear.
Pilot conducting full stop landing via left downwind for RWY XXR. Stable approach conducted to standards. Aircraft entered ground effect. Main gear touched down. Nose slowly lowered. Nose gear touched down. Normal brake pressure applied. 2 seconds later plane drops pitch and scraping noise is observed. Mixture is pulled to cutoff to stop engine. Plane came to a stop on centerline. Pilot flying shut off all switches. Pilot flying and pilot not flying exited aircraft and went to side of runway for safety.
Private pilot flying PA-28 aircraft encountered nose gear failure during landing rollout.