Primary finding
Probable cause
An inadvertent encounter with rough or soft terrain during landing, resulting in a bent nose landing gear leg and subsequent nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that he was in the traffic pattern for landing at his home airport. The turf runway was 3,300 ft-long and 100 ft-wide, and the pilot described its condition as dry, but “pretty bumpy.” The approach and landing were normal, with the main landing gear touching down first, about 60 mph. After he lowered the nose landing gear to the runway, the airplane nosed over and came to rest, inverted. He was met by neighbors and first responders who assisted him out of the airplane and was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. There was substantial damage to one wing, the fuselage, and the vertical stabilizer. He reported that the landing surface was bumpy; however, he could not determine an exact location where the landing gear dug in. After the wreckage was recovered, the landing gear was examined. The nose landing gear leg was found unbroken, but bent aft about 30-40°, consistent with the nose wheel digging into rough or bumpy turf. The nose wheel casted and turned freely without restriction. There were no areas of preexisting mechanical anomaly found.