VANS RV6A

Full Narrative

On May 3, 2022, about 1948 central daylight time, a Vans RV-6A, N5060, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that he entered downwind for a left traffic pattern for runway 15. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold the pilot reduced the engine power to idle; shortly thereafter, the main landing gear touched down onto the runway surface. The airplane slowed, and as the nosewheel touched down the airplane abruptly lurched to the side. The airplane exited the runway surface, struck a berm, and came to rest nose down. The firewall, left wing, and rudder sustained substantial damage.
The airplane came to rest about 450 ft north of the Bravo taxiway and about 625 ft east of the centerline for runway 15, near the airport perimeter fence. The ground scars between the runway and the airplane were not continuous.
The airplane was recovered to a facility for further examination. The bolts securing the nosegear to the strut were fractured. The nosegear strut was wedged in place but was able to rotate. A postaccident examination of the flight controls and landing gear revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.