Nosegear accident

First, here's the picture of the alleged noseover in the UK reported on the RVSQN Yahoogroup. As I understand it, we don't know for sure that this is a noseover, just that it looks like the result of a noseover.




Meanwhile, there is another report of a noseover in the UK, according to the RV Squadron Yahoogroup. I haven't gotten too excited one way or another as the debate has unfolded, but I have concluded that I absolutely, positively can not land my 7A (whenever it gets done) on a turf runway, which is too bad since I love turf runways.

Well it happenened to me today...... Some of you may have followed my trouble getting the old nosegear off to fit the new one. With all the trouble, we had resigned ourselves to leaving it to the couple of weeks prior to the permit renewal December), so we could continue to fly the aircraft over the summer.

Today, went from Mount Airy to Eddsfield, had a coffe and came back. Landed 07, uneventfully (I may go so far as to say skillfully, as I was doing my best to impress my wife, who hardly ever comes with me!!!). We finished the roll out, and back tracked.
Coming onto the apron area, there is a very slight uneveness to the
surface. The aircraft started to pitch up and down, and then the
grinding noise started. Chunks of mud started coming into the air
with the pitch up movement. At no stage did I think we were going to nose over, but it was in the front of me mind, as I have been
paranoid about this for months.

Thankfully all settled back down, and be managed a taxi to our
hangar, with a few more slight grinds. I knew instantly what the end result would be..... a yolk that had tucked under.

The conditions were firm / hard grass due to chalk under bed and a
hot dry week. Speed - normal taxi speed, no faster. Stick back ,
power idle. Nose wheel pressure 35 psi 8 days ago when I last
checked, but it retains pressure very well. I will check it tomorrow when I go back to investigate this further.

The main problem is Stick back does nothing whatsoever at normal slow taxi speed, with power at idle. I am sure it lightens the nosewheel with more than 1200rpm, or 20mph+, but otherwise not. If this had happened at higher speed, it would have flipped. I have a few phots but can not post till tomorrow, when I get away from work. Hopefully, I can also go back to the strip, and check the
area inch by inch.

I had a few misgivings about leaving the nosegear this long, and I
remember Roys posts previously about changing gear prior to the DRM flip.

It is clear in my mind now that it is not pilot technique for the
main part. Nearly all grass strips will have some area of evenness
somewhere similar to this. The wrong speed and power, and the stick position becomes academic.......

Others may disagree.

Justin