Accident Details
A commercial pilot holding a helicopter rating was undergoing training for a private pilot single-engine-land rating. The pilot had accumulated approximately 10 hours of flight time in fixed-wing aircraft, with 6 hours as pilot-in-command.
During the training session, the pilot completed two landings. On the third approach, the pilot stated that he was high on final. Despite this, the pilot elected to continue the approach.
The subsequent landing was hard. The aircraft bounced at least twice. On the third bounce, the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft came to a stop resting on the main landing gear and the nose.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a helicopter rating. At the time of the accident, he was working toward a private pilot single-engine-land rating, with limited fixed-wing experience.
Sequence of Events
The accident occurred during a landing attempt. After two successful landings, the third approach was performed at a higher-than-desired altitude on final approach. The pilot chose to proceed with the landing rather than initiating a go-around. The hard touchdown led to a series of bounces, ultimately causing the nose gear to fail.
The aircraft came to rest in a nose-down attitude supported by the main gear and the nose structure.