What happened
During the final stages of the approach, the aircraft was descending from approximately 600 feet above ground level. As the flight progressed, the wind conditions shifted from 33 5° at 5 knots to 098° at 7 knots, introducing a 6-knot crosswind and reducing the tailwind from 4 knots to 1 knot. At the moment of impact, the aircraft was descending at roughly 700 feet per minute with an airspeed of approximately 75 knots and a 2-knot tailwind. The aircraft touched down with the nose wheel making contact very shortly after the main wheels, resulting in a heavy landing.
The investigation
Analysis of the avionics flight data confirmed the aircraft's descent profile and the shifting wind conditions during the final minute of flight. The investigation noted that the aircraft's landing speed of 75 knots was approximately 1.6 times its stall speed (which is 48 knots without flaps and 43 knots with 40 degrees of flap), significantly exceeding the standard approach speed of 1.3 times the stall speed.
Structural examinations of the nose landing gear strut indicated that the component possessed sufficient strength for its intended purpose. However, the investigation considered the impact of a bounced landing and the specific runway conditions. Additionally, the pilot had limited experience with this specific runway, having only visited the airfield two weeks prior to the incident to hangar the aircraft. The airstrip operator noted that landing on runway 15 is preferred during crosswinds to avoid trees and a road, which may have influenced the decision to land on that runway despite the light tailwind.
Findings
- The aircraft landed with a high rate of descent and excessive groundspeed relative to its stall speed.
- The nose landing gear collapsed following a heavy touchdown where the nose wheel contacted the ground almost immediately after the main gear.
- The pilot's decision to use runway 15 may have been influenced by local obstacles, such as nearby trees and a road, despite the presence of a tailwind.
- The pilot had limited recent experience operating on this specific runway.