SEA98LA136

The pilot was executing a landing to runway 21 at the Great Falls International airport and reported that 'approximately 10 to 15 feet above the runway, the plane dropped suddenly, hitting the runway hard and starting a series of bounces-each bounce progressively higher-that I attempted to control with elevator and power. At the time, I was able to keep the plane straight down the runway but was being blown to the left by the cross wind. After the fourth bounce, I opted for a nose down landing in the face of my greater concern of leaving the runway and flipping the aircraft.' Tower controllers reported that they observed the aircraft begin porpoising with increasing severity during which the nose landing gear collapsed. The 1435 surface weather observation taken at the Great Falls International airport on the date of the accident reported winds from 230 degrees magnetic at 22 knots gusting to 30 knots.

On July 13, 1998, at 1436 mountain daylight time, a Canadian registered Piper PA-32-300, C-GDBT, registered to James Wright Holdings Ltd., and being operated and flown by a Canadian private pilot, was substantially damaged during a loss of control and subsequent nose gear collapse at the Great Falls International airport, Great Falls, Montana. The pilot, his wife, and their two daughters were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, and was to have been operated under 14CFR91, originated from Bismarck, North Dakota, at 1138 hours central daylight time on the same day.

According to airport tower controllers, the pilot was cleared to land on runway 21. During the landing rollout the aircraft was observed to begin porpoising with increasing severity, during which the nose landing gear collapsed and the aircraft slid to a stop.

The pilot reported that "approximately 10 to 15 feet above the runway, the plane dropped suddenly, hitting the runway hard and starting a series of bounces-each bounce progressively higher-that I attempted to control with elevator and power. At the time, I was able to keep the plane straight down the runway but was being blown to the left by the cross wind. After the fourth bounce, I opted for a nose down landing in the face of my greater concern of leaving the runway and flipping the aircraft."

The 1435 surface weather observation taken at the Great Falls International airport on the date of the accident reported winds from 230 degrees magnetic at 22 knots gusting to 30 knots.