On August 20, 1992, a Piper PA-34-200T (registration N8371H) operated by Edward Walter was involved in an aviation accident near Bedford, MA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL DURING THE FLARE, RESULTING IN PORPOISING AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A witness observed N8371H porpoising multiple times before pitching over and striking the runway nose-first during a landing attempt on Runway 29.
What happened
The aircraft was attempting to land on Runway 29 when an eyewitness on the airport grounds observed unusual flight behavior. The pilot of N8371H caused the airplane to porpoise several times prior to initial touchdown. According to the witness, after porpoising another four to five times, the plane pitched over and descended toward the runway surface, striking the nose wheel first.
Following this initial impact, the aircraft pitched its nose up to an altitude of approximately 20 to 30 feet before pitching over again. The airplane then hit the runway a second time, once more landing nose-first.