N73179

On September 14, 2003, at 1238 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172M, N73179, made a hard landing and collapsed the nose landing gear at Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, Arizona. Arizona Aero Tech was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed.

The pilot reported in a written statement that he was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on runway 11R. He recalled the automated terminal information service (ATIS) was reporting winds from 180 at 4 knots. The takeoff was uneventful. He turned onto final and noted he was slightly below a normal glide path, as indicated by the precision approach path indicator lights (PAPI). He leveled out to correct and continued on final, with the flaps extended to a 40-degree setting.

Approximately 5 feet above the runway, the pilot felt a higher than normal sink rate. He applied full power; however, the airplane contacted the runway and bounced. He increased power in a go-around attempt, and the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. It gained altitude and he retracted "a little bit" of the flaps. The airplane then impacted the ground. The pilot reported flying about 2 hours in the past 90 days preceding the accident.

In a phone conversation, the pilot reported to the Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) that after making the final impact with the runway, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded on its nose. He felt the accident was the result of the airplane being at too slow of airspeed on final and his delayed reaction.

A routine aviation weather report (METAR) was issued at 1235. It reported winds from a magnetic bearing of 330 degrees at 4 knots.