What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 3/1/2020 after conducting a glider tow operation at Tullahoma airport (tha), the pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing phase. On approach, the aircraft had a high sink rate and impacted the runway resulting in a hard landing.
An interview with the pilot revealed while attempting to release the rope in tow the pilot was distracted but eventually properly configured the aircraft for a stable approach although it was slower than normal (no stall warning) which led to the nosewheel hitting hard.
Inspection of aircraft revealed the lower nose gear bracket attached to the firewall was sheared and the cowling was damaged aft of the nose landing gear.
As the FAA filed it
ON 3/1/2020 AFTER CONDUCTING A GLIDER TOW OPERATION AT TULLAHOMA AIRPORT (THA), THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING PHASE. ON APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT HAD A HIGH SINK RATE AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT REVEALED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE THE ROPE IN TOW THE PILOT WAS DISTRACTED BUT EVENTUALLY PROPERLY CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A STABLE APPROACH ALTHOUGH IT WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL (NO STALL WARNING) WHICH LED TO THE NOSEWHEEL HITTING HARD.
INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE LOWER NOSE GEAR BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL WAS SHEARED AND THE COWLING WAS DAMAGED AFT OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR.