19980531011759A

(.4)The 400 hour private pilot mistook the freshly mowed area to the east of the runway 14L for the approved landing area known as 'sod runway 14L.' During the touchdown, the airplane impacted a shallow depression running perpendicular to his path and the airplane bounced up in the air. On the second touchdown, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch which collapsed the nose landing gear. According to the FAA inspector that traveled to the accident site, the confines of the 2,800 foot sod runway were difficult to define due to the lack of usage. He added that the grass was all the same tone of green as most of the surrouding area. Additionally, the worn out areas normally found in the vicinity of the touchdown zone, as well as along the runway centerline, were missing. Those visual cues normally help the pilot define the confines of the runway. The pilot's familiarity with sod runwy 14L and the airport could not be determined. (-23) low time private pilot lined up on what he thought to be the sod runway 14L at Clover field, TX. He mistook the median between the sod runway and the parallel taxiway as the runway. On landing rollout he crossed two sha llow depressions, the second of which collapsed the nose gear. Prop struck ground and aircraft came to rest nose down without further damage. Damage to engine mounts and firewall classified landing as accident.