Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control following a bounced landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and a nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
While on approach to land, the pilot reported that the airplane descended faster than he had wanted it to, so he increased the engine throttle in response. The airplane bounced during the subsequent landing attempt, and during the next touch down the pilot was unable to control the airplane’s direction and it veered off the runway to the left. The airplane crossed a grass median and a taxiway before encountering a steep drop off of the terrain where the airplane nosed over. The airplane’s fuselage, empennage, and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.