Student Pilot Collapses Nose Gear After Bounced Landing (N9141H)

What happened

The incident occurred while the aircraft was on final approach for landing. The student pilot noted that the airplane was positioned too high above the normal glidepath but elected to continue the descent rather than execute a go-around. After crossing over the runway threshold at an indicated airspeed of approximately 90 knots, the aircraft touched down heavily and bounced. A second touchdown occurred with only about 200 feet of runway remaining. The pilot applied braking action immediately, but the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway, resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear.

The investigation

The examination focused on the mechanical failure of the nose gear following the off-runway excursion. The structural integrity of the main landing gear and other airframe components was assessed to determine if they sustained damage during the bounce or the subsequent veer.