Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to land on a soft terrain which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that during the local flight and in the airport traffic pattern, he’d decided to land on the grass about 50 ft short of the asphalt runway. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear dug into the soft terrain which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount which was considered part of the airplane primary structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.