Incident Overview
A hard landing and subsequent runway excursion occurred when a strong gust of wind affected the aircraft at the moment of touchdown. The pilot reported that the approach appeared normal until the final stage.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, the winds at the destination were from 100 degrees with gusts up to 15 knots. The pilot set up for landing on runway 2 and described the approach as "normal." At approximately one foot above the runway, a strong gust caused the aircraft to hit the runway hard. The aircraft then began to porpoise. The pilot responded by adding power. During this sequence, the nose wheel sustained damage, causing the aircraft to veer to the left of the runway.
Landing Gear Collapse
Following the veer-off, the nose landing gear and left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot noted that there were no malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged as a result of the hard landing and runway excursion.
Wind Conditions
The reported wind direction of 100 degrees and gusting to 15 knots were present at the time of the landing. The gust encountered at low altitude likely contributed to the hard touchdown.