NTSB Factual Report

On February 11, 2001, at 1950 eastern standard time, a Michael E. Nourse, RV-6A, N6279E, an experimental airplane, collided with the ground during a hard landing at the Immokalee Regional Airport, in Immokalee, Florida. The personal fight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no fight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot received serious injuries, and his passenger was not injured. The flight departed Immokalee, Florida, at 1935 hours.

The pilot reported that, upon landing, the nose gear failed and buckled under the airframe. The nose then contacted the runway, the airplane then slid into the grass, and nosed over. According to the passenger, it was his first flight in the RV-6A experimental airplane. He reported after a "very hard landing" the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded off the left side of the runway. The passenger reported, that the airplane began to cartwheel after it skidded into the grass.

The weather conditions at the time of accident were: wind 140 degrees at 10 knots with gust up to 24 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical or component failure. The wreckage examination also did not reveal any mechanical problems with the airplane. The date and flight hours since the last airframe maintenance inspection was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper flare, and his evaluation of the gusty wind conditions resulted in the collision with the terrain.