Incident Details
A student pilot, operating the aircraft solo, reported a challenging landing sequence. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane ballooned and bounced twice. Following the bounces, the aircraft pitched down, causing the nose landing gear to strike the runway. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed on the runway.
Aircraft Damage
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the engine frame. The extent of damage was limited to this area, with no other structural issues reported.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The aircraft was performing as expected prior to the landing.
Weather Conditions
Weather observations were available from an automated weather observation station located at the airport. About 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was recorded at 230° at 8 knots. Approximately 40 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 210° at 8 knots. The pilot reported that during landing, the winds were 230° at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The student pilot was landing the airplane on runway 23, which aligns with the reported wind direction.