Overview
A flight intended to position the aircraft for a Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force assigned mission arrived at the destination airport. The pilot flying, a certified flight instructor in the left seat, asked the pilot not flying, a private pilot in the right seat, if he wished to practice takeoffs and landings.
Sequence of Events
The flight instructor turned the controls over to the private pilot, who performed a normal landing. Following that landing, the private pilot set up for a short-field landing. Both pilots reported that the airplane touched down "firm" on the main landing gear. As the airplane decelerated, they experienced a sensation similar to a flat tire. Shortly thereafter, the propeller began to strike the runway.
Postaccident Findings
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the nose landing gear attachment assembly and substantial damage to the firewall.
Pilot Interviews
During postaccident interviews, neither pilot could recall the airspeed during the approach or the flap configuration. The flight instructor described the landing flare as a "momentary or short flare."