CEN15LA371

The private pilot was conducting a cross-country personal flight. The pilot reported that, while the airplane was on landing approach with 20 degrees of flaps, an indicated airspeed of 60 mph, and a descent rate of 200 ft per minute, he saw a small rain squall 2 miles south of the airstrip, which was producing a light-to-moderate crosswind. Just before the airplane entered ground effect, its airspeed dropped, and the pilot then applied full power; however, the airplane touched down at the approach end of the runway, which was soft and muddy. The nose gear subsequently sank into the soft ground, and the airplane slid to a stop.

On August 15, 2015, about 1130 central daylight time a Cessna 172C, N1805Y, nosed down after touching down on a soggy portion of the runway at Port Eads Airstrip, Venice, Louisiana. The pilot and two passengers received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The cross-country flight originated Diamondhead, Mississippi, about 1030 and was destined for Port Eads.In his accident report, the pilot said while he was on landing approach with 20 degrees of flaps, 60 miles per hour indicated airspeed, and a 200 feet per minute rate of descent, he said he saw a small [rain] squall two miles south of the airstrip producing a light to moderate crosswind. Just before entering ground effect, he noticed a drop in airspeed and he applied full power. The airplane touched down at the lower end of the runway which was soggy. The nose gear sank in the soft ground and the airplane slid to a stop. Post-accident examination has revealed a damaged wing spar and buckled firewall. The pilot's written statement given to the Federal Aviation Administration corroborated his accident report.