MORA, MN, USA
N8064B
CESSNA 172
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO LAND ON ITS NOSE WHEEL BY A WITNESS. IT PORPOISED ABOUT FIVE TIMES BEFORE THE NOSE WHEEL TIRE BLEW OUT. AFTER THE TIRE BLOWOUT THE AIRPLANE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, EXITING THE RUNWAY EDGE, HAVING ITS NOSE GEAR SEPARATE FROM THE AIRFRAME AND THEN NOSING OVER IN SOFT SOD. THE PILOT GAVE A SIMILAR ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS BUT SAID HE LANDED NOSE WHEEL FIRST, FOLLOWED BY NOSE WHEEL VIBRATION AND COLLAPSE. HE ALSO SAID HE WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CROSSWIND THAT HE WAS CARELESS ABOUT THE APPROACH.
On September 17, 1994, at 1000 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 172, N8064B, registered to Charles B. Persons of Brainard, Minnesota, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing onto runway 35 (3,998' X 75' dry asphalt) at the Mora Municipal Airport, Mora, Minnesota. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight departed Brainard, Minnesota, at 0900 cdt. According to the pilot's written statement on NTSB Form 6120.1/2, he was "...so concerned about the cross wind I was careless about the approach and obviously landed nose wheel down... ." He said the airplane's nose wheel "... had a tendency to vibrate and make noises when I landed so always carefully kept weight off that wheel." He said that too much weight was placed on the nose wheel this time and it collapsed causing the airplane to go out of control and "...eventually [went] off the runway." After exiting the runway, the airplane encountered soft sod and nosed over. A witness to the accident stated the airplane "...was too fast and when attempting to land struck the nose wheel first and then ... started to porpoise... ." He said the airplane's nose tire blew out after the fifth "...bounce...", losing directional control and drifted to the left side of the runway. The witness concluded his statement by saying the airplane's nose gear separated from the airframe as the airplane left the runway. When the bottom cowl touched the soft sod on the runway's edge, the airplane nosed over according to this witness.
was an improper touchdown by the pilot-in-command. Factor's associated with this accident were the pilot's diverted attention due to his perception of a crosswind condition and the pilot not performing a recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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