On July 4, 2002, a Beech A-23-23 (registration N3545R) was involved in an aviation accident near Monroe, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's premature flare during landing, which resulted in a bounce and subsequent nose landing gear collapse when the nosewheel contacted terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing practice, a pilot flared too soon, causing a bounce. The airplane veered off the runway, and the nosewheel dug into terrain, collapsing the nose landing gear.
Incident Description
A pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings when, on the fourth landing, the nose landing gear collapsed. According to the pilot, the aircraft bounced after flaring too soon during the touchdown. The airplane then veered to the right side of the runway and exited the paved surface.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that he "must have flared too soon causing the airplane to bounce at touchdown." After the bounce, the airplane went off the right side of the runway. The pilot stated that the nosewheel subsequently "dug into the terrain causing it to collapse and the airplane to go nose down."
Damage
The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane sustained damage as a result of the collapse and nose-down attitude.
Probable cause
The pilot's premature flare during landing, which resulted in a bounce and subsequent nose landing gear collapse when the nosewheel contacted terrain.