What happened
While attempting to land on runway 21 at Great Falls International Airport, the pilot reported that the aircraft suddenly dropped approximately 10 to 15 feet above the runway surface. This initial impact triggered a series of bounces that grew progressively higher in altitude. The pilot attempted to manage the oscillations using elevator and power inputs.
During the landing sequence, the pilot maintained the aircraft's centerline but noted that a crosswind was pushing the plane to the left. Following the fourth bounce, the pilot elected to perform a nose-down landing to prevent the aircraft from drifting off the runway or flipping over. Tower controllers observed the aircraft undergoing porpoising with increasing severity, at which point the nose landing gear collapsed.
At 1435, the surface weather observation at Great Falls International Airport indicated winds from 230 degrees magnetic at 22 knots, with gusts reaching 30 knots.