N4521E

On August 27, 1999, about 1000 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4521E, registered to Douglas Aviation Inc., impacted with the ground during a landing at the Olive Branch Airport, Olive Branch, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at 0920.

The pilot was doing touch-and-go landings on runway 18, and had been flying in the traffic pattern for about 1/2 hour. He said, "...on final, I held 75 knots IAS...over runway threshold, I decreased airspeed between 65 and 70 knots. Once in ground effect, I tried to raise the nose slightly above the end of the runway. During the flare, the nosewheel hit first causing a bounce and the airplane started to porpoise. I was at flight idle on the landing. I tried to recover by applying back-pressure and getting the airplane on the ground in a safe manner." Once on the ground he taxied to the parking ramp, shut the airplane down, and noted the nose gear was damaged. The pilot reported that the winds were calm. He did not report any control, or engine problems.