What happened
The pilot was operating a personal cross-country flight when he arrived at his destination airport. Upon initiating the landing sequence on runway 13, the aircraft bounced several times before the nose gear collapsed. Following the structural failure, the aircraft slid along the pavement and came to a stop approximately two-thirds of the way down the runway.
The pilot noted that during the final approach, he perceived his airspeed to be excessive. Environmental conditions at the time included local winds from 140 degrees at 16 knots, with gusts reaching 26 knots.
The investigation
No mechanical examination of the aircraft was conducted prior to the report being filed. The investigation relied primarily on the pilot's account of the events leading up to and during the landing attempt.
Findings
Contributing factors identified in the incident include:
- Excessive approach speed as perceived by the pilot
- Bouncing during the touchdown phase
- Crosswind conditions with significant gusts
- Collapse of the nose landing gear