What happened
During the landing phase on Runway 26, a single-engine airplane began to bounce and enter a porpoising motion. The aircraft was operating on an asphalt runway measuring 6,330 feet in length and 100 feet in width. With each successive bounce, the aircraft increased in altitude until the nose landing gear collapsed. Following the collapse, the propeller impacted the ground. The aircraft came to rest in an upright position, and there was no fire following the event.
The pilot and one passenger were not injured and were able to exit the aircraft without assistance. At the time of the accident, the wind was reported as being from 250 degrees at 6 knots.
The investigation
During the post-accident investigation, officials performed a functional check of the rudder pedals. The investigation established continuity from the rudder pedals to the steering rods and the rudder. No anomalies were noted regarding the aircraft's flight controls, nose landing gear, or steering mechanism prior to the impact.