What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot made approach faster than normal to try and land before approaching squall line. Airplane bounced on landing, which resulted in nose gear collapsing. Airplane sustained damage to propeller and cowling. (.19) this is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. On June 30, 2000, at 1840 central daylight time, an engineering & research Ercoupe 415-CD airplane, N3177H, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during landing at the Abbeville chris crusta memorial airport near Abbeville, Louisiana. The private pilot, who was the owner and sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the Abbeville airport at 1830. According to the pilot/operator aircraft accident report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that the wind was from the south-southwest at 10-15 knots, and gusting to 20-25 knots. The pilot added that the "aircraft had no rudder pedals to allow for sufficient crab for conditions," and he had to use "higher than normal approach speeds to maintain directional control." The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that he was attempting to land on runway 15 piror to thunderstorms moving over the airport. The pilot added that he landed "fast and hit hard," and the airplane bounced and departed the runway into the gras. The nose landing gear collapsed, damaging the firewall. The FAA reported the acident to the NTSB on August 3, 2000.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT MADE APPROACH FASTER THAN NORMAL TO TRY AND LAND BEFORE APPROACHING SQUALL LINE. AIRPLANE BOUNCED ON LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN NOSE GEAR COLLAPSING. AIRPLANE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO PROPELLER AND COWLING. (.19) THIS IS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, SUBJECT TO CHANGE, AND MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. ANY ERRORS IN THIS REPORT WILL BE CORRECTED WHEN THE FINAL REPORT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. ON JUNE 30, 2000, AT 1840 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN ENGINEERING & RESEARCH ERCOUPE 415-CD AIRPLANE, N3177H, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING LANDING AT THE ABBEVILLE CHRIS CRUSTA MEMORIAL AIRPORT NEAR ABBEVILLE, LOUISIANA. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE OWNER AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE ABBEVILLE AIRPORT AT 1830. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT (NTSB FORM 6120.1/2), THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST AT 10-15 KNOTS, AND GUSTING TO 20-25 KNOTS. THE PILOT ADDED THAT THE "AIRCRAFT HAD NO RUDDER PEDALS TO ALLOW FOR SUFFICIENT CRAB FOR CONDITIONS," AND HE HAD TO USE "HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPROACH SPEEDS TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL." THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 15 PIROR TO THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE LANDED "FAST AND HIT HARD," AND THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRAS. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, DAMAGING THE FIREWALL. THE FAA REPORTED THE ACIDENT TO THE NTSB ON AUGUST 3, 2000.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.