NZFF

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/light-plan...auranga-2969175

anyone have any other info about this? from the story it sounds like they brought it in with the gear up.

Apparently the front gear fell off for a landing competion. The plane landed and the nose just hit the ground. ZK-DAR.

My wife and I were headed to Tauranga and were passing Bayfair when we heard on the Police radio that "Fire and Ambos were at the airport". We switched to the Tower frequency and arrived to join a small group of bystanders at Bay Flight just as the plane made it's approach on the grass alongside the sealed runway. It landed slow and smooth then nosed down. The pilot opened the canopy and left the plane unaided.

We couldn't hang around any longer but it looked to me to be a textbook landing, I think the main wheels were down, but couldn't be sure, it was only 100 foot from landing when I drifted into the carpark, simultaneously grabbing my binoculars, opening the door and tugging the handbrake on lol.

I think the reg I heard on comms was ZK-DAR.

Edit: Didn't read Eddy's reply, above, good to know though I got the reg right

Sounds like you got there just in time MAT
DAR not a RG model see HERE

Yep, that's what the canopy looked like when the guy hopped out.

Good to hear no one was hurt.

It was ZK-DAR Peter Rutledges Sports Cruiser, Nose wheel had completly fallen off.

Guys was nothing too major, At the time I was downwind in the circuit participating in the landing competition when I heard DAR make his emergency call, I managed to get on the ground before he did and as I got on the ground all emergency services where waiting besides the runway as we shut down near the holding point and they were getting ready to proceed onto the runway when the sports cruiser lands. We then heard on the radio that the nose wheel had fallen off his sports cruiser when the landing gear doesn't even retract and that he had to land with only two wheels, with the nose wheel missing somewhere between Tauranga and Whakatane

We then watched it come in to land on finals and at the last minute cut the mixture to try and save the prop but Peter stalled on the tail before slamming the front into the grass smashing the prop and front of the nose into the grass (I would have thought he would have drove it on the runway not his technique). At the current time there was 2 POB and you saw them get whiplashed by the impact but they walked away from the scene fine, shame I didn't have my camera by me but ah well. Hopefully Peter has good insurance as that will be out for some time. It didn't hit hit too fast and only damaged the front of the plane, probably talking a new engine and prop.

Nothing major but was quite scary to watch and to think that the sports cruisers wheel is missing someone between Tauranga and Whakatane and all of this happend very close to me after I landed.

I also met Daniel from NZFF who also saw the action with me

Report and video:

http://www.sunlive.co.nz/8385a1.page

pilotgallagher01 wrote:

QUOTE (pilotgallagher01 @ Sep 6 2009, 08:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was ZK-DAR Peter Rutledges Sports Cruiser, Nose wheel had completly fallen off.

Guys was nothing too major, At the time I was downwind in the circuit participating in the landing competition when I heard DAR make his emergency call, I managed to get on the ground before he did and as I got on the ground all emergency services where waiting besides the runway as we shut down near the holding point and they were getting ready to proceed onto the runway when the sports cruiser lands. We then heard on the radio that the nose wheel had fallen off his sports cruiser when the landing gear doesn't even retract and that he had to land with only two wheels, with the nose wheel missing somewhere between Tauranga and Whakatane

We then watched it come in to land on finals and at the last minute cut the mixture to try and save the prop but Peter stalled on the tail before slamming the front into the grass smashing the prop and front of the nose into the grass (I would have thought he would have drove it on the runway not his technique). At the current time there was 2 POB and you saw them get whiplashed by the impact but they walked away from the scene fine, shame I didn't have my camera by me but ah well. Hopefully Peter has good insurance as that will be out for some time. It didn't hit hit too fast and only damaged the front of the plane, probably talking a new engine and prop.

Nothing major but was quite scary to watch and to think that the sports cruisers wheel is missing someone between Tauranga and Whakatane and all of this happend very close to me after I landed.

I also met Daniel from NZFF who also saw the action with me

Hey im not sure if using names in needed.
The plane had been through a few hard landings with student pilots, the wield cracked slightly where the noise gear is connected to the aircraft, this wasn't picked up before the flight.
that gave way which is why it ended up as it is.
they are investigating the crash at the moment,
The 2 occupants are ok, the plane is ok and will only need some minor repairs.

How did they notice it missing?
If it fell off in flight did a passing AC notice it?

and an aircraft saw it was missing a nosewheel while downwind

spongebob206 wrote:

QUOTE (spongebob206 @ Sep 8 2009, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How did they notice it missing?
If it fell off in flight did a passing AC notice it?

I understand the incident occurred while doing touch-and-go's at Whakatane, during one of these the nosewheel parted company with the rest of the aircraft...

Someone once said: Any landing you walk away from is a good landing

The pilot of the aircraft is happy to answer any questions you have about the incident and how it was handled etc as you may learn something that could save you if you end up in the same situation, although he is unable to comment until the investigation is completed,
but feel free to start asking any questions either here or flick me a pm, and once the investigation is over I will either post the replies or pm them to you.

Cheers