N229ME

On June 26, 2004, at 1150 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172S, N229ME, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage when the nose landing gear collapsed during a landing attempt on runway 33 (3,850 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport (UMP), near Fishers, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo instructional flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The local flight departed UMP at 1000.

The student pilot reported that he had practiced maneuvers in the local area prior to returning to the airport to practice short-field landings. The pilot stated the accident occurred during the third landing attempt. The pilot reported he crossed the runway threshold approximately 100 feet above ground level, and then reduced engine power to idle to initiate the descent to the runway. The pilot stated that during the landing flare the airplane touched down with a "mild impact," which was followed by the airplane bouncing back into the air. The pilot reported he continued to flare, with no addition of engine power, and the second touchdown was "harder than the first." The pilot stated, "No correction action attempted and third touchdown broke nose wheel, prop hit pavement and plane came to stop."

The pilot reported the accident could have been prevented if he had performed a go-around after experiencing the initial hard touchdown and subsequent bounce.