Narrative:

This incident arose as I was attempting a landing at fleming-mason airport. I had crossed over the runway midway at the proper altitude and turned left onto the downwind leg. Realizing I was too close to the runway I angled out a bit but not enough for long enough. Therefore my base leg was too short causing me to overshoot final. I came over the threshold hot and high and decided after trying to line up with the runway to go around. I told the FBO I would go around, but a moment later I decided I could salvage the landing. I added 20 degree flaps after idling back on the throttle. This much flap extension gave me lift causing the plane to balloon up and then I hit the runway on the mains. The plane bounced up again, hit the runway, bounced again and the third time it came down, it landed nose in the grass strip off the side of the runway and of course, came to a full stop. The phrase 'down to earth' unfortunately has a new meaning for me now. The problem arose when I made the incorrect decision to salvage a poor approach. If I had gone around, I could have flown a better pattern and set up a better approach/landing. I think I got overconfident once I arrived at fleming-mason and saw the airstrip. I remember telling my self, 'don't get over-confident, the landing is more critical than all the flying you just did.' even after the first bounce, if I had immediately executed a go around I wouldn't be remorsefully reporting to you now. I've been humbled, brought down to earth so to speak and have more respect for the aerodynamics laws in effect and the importance of adherence to them. This has been a valuable experience form which I emerged nt only alive, but uninjured, ready to 'hit the skies' again. Do I love flying? You betcha. Ps: the FAA has investigated my case, closed the report today and classified this as an incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states aircraft had propeller damage, nose wheel forced up into engine. Insurance totaled aircraft. FAA was most courteous to reporter and made determination of incident in 4 days time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI BOUNCES IN ON LNDG. VEERS OFF RWY.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT AROSE AS I WAS ATTEMPTING A LNDG AT FLEMING-MASON ARPT. I HAD CROSSED OVER THE RWY MIDWAY AT THE PROPER ALT AND TURNED LEFT ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG. REALIZING I WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY I ANGLED OUT A BIT BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR LONG ENOUGH. THEREFORE MY BASE LEG WAS TOO SHORT CAUSING ME TO OVERSHOOT FINAL. I CAME OVER THE THRESHOLD HOT AND HIGH AND DECIDED AFTER TRYING TO LINE UP WITH THE RWY TO GO AROUND. I TOLD THE FBO I WOULD GO AROUND, BUT A MOMENT LATER I DECIDED I COULD SALVAGE THE LNDG. I ADDED 20 DEG FLAPS AFTER IDLING BACK ON THE THROTTLE. THIS MUCH FLAP EXTENSION GAVE ME LIFT CAUSING THE PLANE TO BALLOON UP AND THEN I HIT THE RWY ON THE MAINS. THE PLANE BOUNCED UP AGAIN, HIT THE RWY, BOUNCED AGAIN AND THE THIRD TIME IT CAME DOWN, IT LANDED NOSE IN THE GRASS STRIP OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY AND OF COURSE, CAME TO A FULL STOP. THE PHRASE 'DOWN TO EARTH' UNFORTUNATELY HAS A NEW MEANING FOR ME NOW. THE PROB AROSE WHEN I MADE THE INCORRECT DECISION TO SALVAGE A POOR APCH. IF I HAD GONE AROUND, I COULD HAVE FLOWN A BETTER PATTERN AND SET UP A BETTER APCH/LNDG. I THINK I GOT OVERCONFIDENT ONCE I ARRIVED AT FLEMING-MASON AND SAW THE AIRSTRIP. I REMEMBER TELLING MY SELF, 'DON'T GET OVER-CONFIDENT, THE LNDG IS MORE CRITICAL THAN ALL THE FLYING YOU JUST DID.' EVEN AFTER THE FIRST BOUNCE, IF I HAD IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A GAR I WOULDN'T BE REMORSEFULLY RPTING TO YOU NOW. I'VE BEEN HUMBLED, BROUGHT DOWN TO EARTH SO TO SPEAK AND HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR THE AERODYNAMICS LAWS IN EFFECT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ADHERENCE TO THEM. THIS HAS BEEN A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE FORM WHICH I EMERGED NT ONLY ALIVE, BUT UNINJURED, READY TO 'HIT THE SKIES' AGAIN. DO I LOVE FLYING? YOU BETCHA. PS: THE FAA HAS INVESTIGATED MY CASE, CLOSED THE RPT TODAY AND CLASSIFIED THIS AS AN INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES ACFT HAD PROP DAMAGE, NOSE WHEEL FORCED UP INTO ENG. INSURANCE TOTALED ACFT. FAA WAS MOST COURTEOUS TO RPTR AND MADE DETERMINATION OF INCIDENT IN 4 DAYS TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.