What happened
The incident involved a student pilot who had accumulated 34 hours of flight time. During the final approach and landing phase on Runway 13, the aircraft experienced significant vertical oscillation. The pilot reported that the airplane bounced upon touchdown and immediately began to porpoise, a condition characterized by repetitive pitching motions.
The porpoising motion occurred approximately four to five times. This repeated stress resulted in structural failure of the front landing gear assembly. As the nose dropped due to the gear collapse, the propeller blades made direct contact with the tarmac surface. Despite the mechanical failure, the pilot retained control of the aircraft using rudder inputs, successfully steering it off the active runway and onto an adjacent taxiway.
The investigation
The primary focus of the examination was the condition of the landing gear following the event. The front landing gear sustained damage consistent with the excessive loads imposed by the porpoising motion. No other mechanical failures were noted in the immediate narrative.