Incident Overview
A training flight involving a student pilot and a certified flight instructor ended with a hard landing and runway excursion at an airport. The crew had been performing a series of takeoffs and landings prior to the accident. According to reports, the airplane landed hard, veered off the runway, and subsequently impacted a sign.
Wind Conditions
The reported wind at the time of the accident flight was an 82-degree left crosswind at 12 knots, with gusts reaching 18 knots. These conditions were present during the landing attempt.
Aircraft Damage Examination
An examination of the airplane revealed damage consistent with an overload/overstress type of failure to nose gear components. This failure occurred due to a hard touchdown with the nose gear contacting the runway first. The resulting damage led to a loss of steering capability, which likely contributed to the runway excursion and impact with the sign.