Incident Overview
On final approach to runway 15, a 9,001-foot-long, 200-foot-wide asphalt strip, the pilot of a Piper PA-32-300 reported encountering a sudden wind gust. This resulted in what the pilot described as a "very hard landing." After touching down, the pilot taxied the aircraft toward the ramp, during which the nose landing gear collapsed. Winds recorded at the airport around the time of the incident were from 220 degrees at 9 knots.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-32-300. The pilot reported 6,164 hours of total flight experience, with approximately 6,000 hours in the same make and model. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Post-Accident Inspection
Examination of the aircraft following the incident revealed damage to the firewall, fuselage, and the engine and nose strut mount assemblies. No other damage was noted in the report.