Amateur-built RV-9A N125TK accident near Live Oak, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, a subsequent nose-down landing, and excessive bending loads to the nose landing gear.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger, during the landing at the pilot's home airstrip in the tricycle landing gear, experimental amateur-built airplane, the pilot stated, "I'm coming in too hot." The pilot continued the landing to the turf runway, and, according to the passenger and a witness, the airplane landed hard and then bounced. The passenger stated that, during the bounce, the airplane stalled. Further, the witness stated that, when he responded to the scene to help, he heard the pilot say that the airplane had "stalled." Ground scars and wreckage photographs indicated that, after the stall, the airplane landed nose down, which resulted in the nose landing gear leg folding aft. The folded area then dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot indicated that he believed that a service bulletin to strengthen the nose landing gear and provide greater ground clearance for the nose wheel fork had been incorporated. Although the nose landing gear did not collapse after the initial hard landing and bounce, it could not withstand the excessive bending loads sustained during the subsequent nose-down landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14LA152 for the full record.