What happened
The airplane touched down on runway 29 but did not remain grounded. During the landing roll, the aircraft became airborne again, initiating a porpoising motion. The nose gear subsequently contacted the runway surface with significant force. Recognizing the situation, the pilot aborted the landing and initiated a go-around. A second approach was flown to the same runway, resulting in a successful landing without further incident.
The investigation
A post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed structural damage. The primary finding included buckling of the firewall in several locations. This damage was consistent with the hard contact of the nose gear reported during the bounced landing.
Findings
Weather conditions at the airport were challenging at the time of the event. Winds were from 240 degrees at 19 knots, with gusts reaching 26 knots. The gusty crosswind likely contributed to the difficulty in maintaining ground contact during the initial touchdown.
Safety message
Landing in gusty wind conditions requires precise control inputs to prevent porpoising and hard nose gear impacts. Pilots should be prepared to execute a go-around if the aircraft does not settle firmly on the runway.