NTSB Factual Report

Upon arrival at his destination airport after an uneventful IFR flight, the pilot set up for a visual left downwind to land. The initial flare and touchdown was smooth at 85 knots. The airplane then floated and bounced twice, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest about halfway down the runway. An examination of the airplane showed the nose gear was separated from the airplane, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported that he should have slowed to about 70-75 knots for touchdown to avoid floating and subsequent bounced landing. In a telephone interview with the NTSB IIC, the pilot stated that he was a corporate jet pilot and he flew light reciprocating-engine aircraft only a few times a year. His perspective was that in flying corporate jets, computations of final approach speeds are more precisely determined and executed by the pilot. Final approach speeds in the light airplane category are determined more so by an airspeed range depending on the wind conditions and gross weight. He offered that his higher than optimal approach speed was a result of not having recent experience in flying light airplanes. He stated that he had not flown a light aircraft for six months prior to this event.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's excessive touchdown speed, which resulted in a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience in flying light airplanes.