On October 14, 2005, a Cessna U206G (registration N5227X) operated by Forest A. Owen was involved in an aviation accident near Hanover, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during the landing flare, resulting in a bounced landing and subsequent structural failure of the nose gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A light aircraft nosed over after a bounced landing on a private grass strip when the pilot failed to notice a broken nose gear casting.
What happened
The airplane experienced a nose-over incident immediately following a bounced landing sequence. The pilot reported that the aircraft bounced upon initial contact with a private grass airstrip. After recovering from the bounce, the airplane touched down again, causing the nose gear strut to dig into the turf and flip the aircraft forward.
The investigation
Post-acc examination revealed that the nose gear casting had broken during the initial bounced landing. The pilot was unaware of this structural failure at the time of the second touchdown. The broken casting allowed the strut to penetrate the grass surface, leading to the nose-over.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the bounced landing which resulted in a broken nose gear casting. The pilot's lack of awareness regarding the damage contributed to the subsequent nosing over upon the second touchdown.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during the landing flare, resulting in a bounced landing and subsequent structural failure of the nose gear.