What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated to inspector that he was making a local flight, getting familiar with the aircraft, which he had not flown much recently. He stated he entered the pattern, turned base, then turned final. He then retarded the throttle and started the glide to landing. He stated he looked like he would be landing a little short, and slowed down to stretch the glide. He said he "never made the command decision to add power or go-around." The nose wheel struck the ground approximately 20 feet short of the runway threshold. The nose wheel collapsed and the aircraft skidded forward. The gascolator broke, and the leaking fuel started a fire. The pilot stated he was able to exit the door in the normal manner, and watched as the aircraft was destroyed by the ensuing fire. The pilot, the only occupant of the aircraft, was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED TO INSPECTOR THAT HE WAS MAKING A LOCAL FLIGHT, GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HE HAD NOT FLOWN MUCH RECENTLY. HE STATED HE ENTERED THE PATTERN, TURNED BASE, THEN TURNED FINAL. HE THEN RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND STARTED THE GLIDE TO LANDING. HE STATED HE LOOKED LIKE HE WOULD BE LANDING A LITTLE SHORT, AND SLOWED DOWN TO STRETCH THE GLIDE. HE SAID HE "NEVER MADE THE COMMAND DECISION TO ADD POWER OR GO-AROUND." THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED FORWARD. THE GASCOLATOR BROKE, AND THE LEAKING FUEL STARTED A FIRE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE DOOR IN THE NORMAL MANNER, AND WATCHED AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE ENSUING FIRE. THE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.