Incident
A student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings. During the third landing, as the pilot lowered the nose, the nose gear collapsed. The propeller struck the runway surface, and the airplane veered to the left. After departing the left side of the runway, the aircraft nosed over.
Examination
An examination of the nose gear revealed no evidence of fatigue, corrosion, or previous cracks. However, the engine mount and upper landing gear structure were found to be buckled and showed evidence of vertical deceleration.
Conclusion
The investigation did not identify a specific cause for the nose gear collapse. The structural damage was consistent with the forces experienced during the incident.