What happened
An airline transport pilot was performing a landing at a remote airstrip characterized by a gravel and dirt surface. The aircraft, a tricycle gear airplane, was in the landing roll phase of flight when the nose wheel encountered soft terrain. This contact caused the nose landing gear to collapse.
The incident resulted in structural damage to the fuselage. According to the pilot, the condition of the landing surface was softer than anticipated during the approach and touchdown.
Findings
Records from the FAA Alaska Supplement and Airport Directory indicate that the airstrip is unattended and that runway conditions are not monitored. The directory recommends a visual inspection of the runway prior to landing. Furthermore, the documentation notes that runway 0/2-20 is soft in spring and that the surface is irregular and rutted.