Event Details
The pilot reported that after completing an instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country flight, he canceled his IFR clearance and made a visual approach to runway 26. He recalled that the tower informed him that his airplane would be the last to land on runway 26, and that the inbound airplane behind him was vectored for an approach to runway 08. After landing, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane slid to the right side of the runway, partially exiting the runway before coming to rest.
Post-Accident Examination
The Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector who examined the airplane and the accident scene reported that during the landing, the propeller struck the runway. The airplane bounced and settled back to the runway about 100 feet further down the runway, where a second set of propeller blade strike markings were identified. The inspector reported that the propeller blade strike markings were accompanied by black rubber skid marks that extended from the runway centerline and veered to the right edge of the runway. The nose gear collapsed backwards, as evidenced by white paint marks and metallic material scarring the asphalt. The airplane continued to veer to the right, eventually departing the paved runway and coming to rest in the dirt. The inspector confirmed that the distance from the initial propeller strike to the wreckage was about 735 feet.
Weather Conditions
The meteorological aerodrome report at the accident airport reported that the wind direction and speed about the time of the accident was 010 degrees true at 4 knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts, firewall, and fuselage bulkheads.