At about 1130 Pacific time, the airplane was substantially damaged when its nosewheel assembly failed and it departed the runway before nosing over onto its back. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Just prior to lifting off from a grass strip, the pilot and his passenger heard a noise and felt a bump that was different from the normal sounds made when taking off from that surface. After takeoff, they visually checked the main landing gear, which appeared normal. The flight to the destination airport was uneventful. The landing was normal until the nosewheel touched down, when the airplane immediately veered left and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to its fuselage, vertical stabilizer and rudder. Examination revealed the upper torque link for the nosewheel was fractured.
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