NTSB Factual Report

The 172-hour private pilot lined up the single-engine airplane for final approach for runway 19 (a 5,000 feet wide by 100 feet long ). The pilot reported that he performed a slight "sideslip" to correct for the light prevailing crosswind and reported that the touchdown was normal, with the right main gear making contact with the runway first, followed by the left main, and then the nose gear. The pilot stated that "about two seconds later a loud pop was heard and the airplane began to pull to the right." As the landing roll of the airplane slowed down, the airplane began to "shutter." After taxiing clear of the runway with full up elevator and disembarking the airplane, the pilot noticed that the nose wheel pant was broken and trailing the nose landing gear. A mechanic, located on the field, removed the remaining part of the wheel pant and noted no other damage. The pilot continued on his return flight and made an uneventful landing at his home airfield. The airplane's last 100-hour inspection was accomplished on September 25, 2006. Additionally, the airplane was part of a rental fleet and had logged 15 flights (41.3 hours) between September 25 and October 15, 2006. The 100-hour inspection of the airplane revealed that the nose wheel strut attachments had sheared and the structural engine firewall had been buckled.

NTSB Probable Cause

The structural damage to the firewall during a suspected hard landing.