On December 29, 1999, a Beech C-23 (registration N2116W) was involved in an aviation accident near Manassas, VA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate remedial action to recover the airplane from porpoising during the landing roll out. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane porpoised strongly while landing on a 5,700-foot asphalt runway. The pilot attempted to stabilize but the nose wheel collapsed and the propeller struck the ground. No mechanical issues were reported.
Landing and Porpoising
The accident occurred during landing on a 5,700-foot long, 100-foot wide asphalt runway. The airplane began to porpoise strongly, prompting the pilot to attempt stabilization. He maintained directional control with the power set to idle, but the oscillations persisted.
Nose Wheel Collapse
During the porpoising, the nose wheel collapsed. As a result, the propeller contacted the runway surface. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane before or during the event.
Pilot Experience
The pilot had purchased the airplane approximately one month prior to the accident. He reported a total of 14 hours of flight experience in the make and model of the accident aircraft.