Incident Overview
A pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings on an asphalt runway. During one landing, the airplane bounced upon touchdown, initiating a series of hard porpoise oscillations down the runway. The porpoising resulted in the nose landing gear wheel cracking and separating from the aircraft. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over.
Damage Assessment
The accident caused substantial damage to multiple components. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged, along with the left wing strut. The extent of damage required the aircraft to be significantly repaired.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The incident was attributed solely to the handling during the landing phase.
Findings
No mechanical issues were identified that could have contributed to the event. The sequence of events—a bounce followed by hard porpoising—culminated in the structural failure of the nose landing gear wheel and the subsequent nose-over.