Incident Details
The pilot of a tricycle-gear airplane reported that during the initial landing attempt, the airplane touched down approximately 4 feet short of the asphalt runway surface. The nose landing gear subsequently struck the 6-inch-high asphalt perimeter edge, causing the nose gear to separate from the airframe.
Sequence of Events
Upon the nose gear separation, the pilot aborted the landing. The airplane bounced and the pilot was able to establish a climb. He then completed one full traffic pattern and executed another approach. For the second landing, the pilot chose to land on the turf safety area adjacent to and parallel to the runway. When the main landing gear contacted the turf surface, the airplane nosed over.
Damage
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane's firewall, fuselage, left wing, and empennage. The pilot reported that no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were present that would have precluded normal operation.
According to the pilot's statement in the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the incident could have been prevented by more diligent observation of the touchdown point on the runway.