Narrative:

In 4/88 I took off from torrance, ca, airport flying at 9500' and 11500'. I was completing my flight 5 hours later at cos. It was a clear day. Wind was not a problem. I called approach control 20 mi south. I had the ATIS and was landing runway 35. I squawked the proper code, identify and was acknowledged. Approach gave me an 070 degree heading for spacing and I reduced air speed. Later I was given 360 degree heading and then 250 degree heading. Approach control stated, 'aircraft at your 11 O'clock position. Landing cos.' I was facing a bright, bright setting sun and acknowledged that I did not have my traffic. I was next told 'traffic no factor, do you have airport in sight?' I acknowledged 'airport in sight,' and was 'cleared to land, contact tower.' I dumped my gear turned to the airport, contacted tower and was cleared. I was still at 9500' since I did have my previous traffic in sight. I reduced all power and went through gump. As I increased speed I dropped full flaps. I knew I had an 11000' runway but wanted the T/D at the first third. As I closed with the ground and runway I trimmed my aircraft back. However on placing my aircraft on runway 35 I hit the nose wheel first, porpoised, and on returning to the runway surface my nose wheel collapsed. I went forward, applied right brake hoping to clear the runway. I ended up in the dirt. When 'cleared to land,' I perceived I could land the aircraft safely. The fact is I did not--there were no injuries. My perception of the ground from 9500 and 11500' for 5 hours became very much different as I closed with the ground. The bright sun in my eyes for about 5 mins also changed my perception.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LANDED NOSE GEAR FIRST CAUSING NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND DAMAGING THE PROPELLER.

Narrative: IN 4/88 I TOOK OFF FROM TORRANCE, CA, ARPT FLYING AT 9500' AND 11500'. I WAS COMPLETING MY FLT 5 HRS LATER AT COS. IT WAS A CLEAR DAY. WIND WAS NOT A PROB. I CALLED APCH CTL 20 MI S. I HAD THE ATIS AND WAS LNDG RWY 35. I SQUAWKED THE PROPER CODE, IDENT AND WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. APCH GAVE ME AN 070 DEG HDG FOR SPACING AND I REDUCED AIR SPD. LATER I WAS GIVEN 360 DEG HDG AND THEN 250 DEG HDG. APCH CTL STATED, 'ACFT AT YOUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. LNDG COS.' I WAS FACING A BRIGHT, BRIGHT SETTING SUN AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I DID NOT HAVE MY TFC. I WAS NEXT TOLD 'TFC NO FACTOR, DO YOU HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT?' I ACKNOWLEDGED 'ARPT IN SIGHT,' AND WAS 'CLRED TO LAND, CONTACT TWR.' I DUMPED MY GEAR TURNED TO THE ARPT, CONTACTED TWR AND WAS CLRED. I WAS STILL AT 9500' SINCE I DID HAVE MY PREVIOUS TFC IN SIGHT. I REDUCED ALL PWR AND WENT THROUGH GUMP. AS I INCREASED SPD I DROPPED FULL FLAPS. I KNEW I HAD AN 11000' RWY BUT WANTED THE T/D AT THE FIRST THIRD. AS I CLOSED WITH THE GND AND RWY I TRIMMED MY ACFT BACK. HOWEVER ON PLACING MY ACFT ON RWY 35 I HIT THE NOSE WHEEL FIRST, PORPOISED, AND ON RETURNING TO THE RWY SURFACE MY NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED. I WENT FORWARD, APPLIED RIGHT BRAKE HOPING TO CLR THE RWY. I ENDED UP IN THE DIRT. WHEN 'CLRED TO LAND,' I PERCEIVED I COULD LAND THE ACFT SAFELY. THE FACT IS I DID NOT--THERE WERE NO INJURIES. MY PERCEPTION OF THE GND FROM 9500 AND 11500' FOR 5 HRS BECAME VERY MUCH DIFFERENT AS I CLOSED WITH THE GND. THE BRIGHT SUN IN MY EYES FOR ABOUT 5 MINS ALSO CHANGED MY PERCEPTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.