Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 141; Flight Crew Type 42
Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors
I was conducting a routine cross-country flight to ZZZ1; then back to my departure location ZZZ. The flight to ZZZ1 went as planned. We landed on Runway XX and were asked to back-taxi on the runway by ATC in order for us to depart back to ZZZ. We departed from Runway XX and headed back southwest. We climbed to 4500 MSL enroute back to ZZZ. Approximately 20 miles out I began my initial descent. As I began this descent; I also tuned into the CTAF frequency as Tower was closed at this time. Approximately 10 miles out I made my first position report. I made a secondary one at 6 miles. Upon reporting at 6 miles; I was under the impression that I was the only one in the airspace as there was no other plane making reports. Upon this; I began to set up for a 6-mile final straight into Runway XX at ZZZ. I made another position report at 4 miles and then another 2 miles. Once I reached 1 mile out; I made the announcement that I was on short final. I continued my descent until I had reached the numbers and started my round out. Upon doing this; my ADS-B announced that there was traffic on short final at 6 o'clock. This traffic had not made any position reports and gave nobody in the airspace an indication for what he was doing. Upon hearing this; I made the decision to land in order to avoid a possible midair collision with this traffic.Continuing my flare; I was dealing with a 15 kt. headwind which I had flown with through my entire approach. Upon flaring; I decreased power and the wind shifted from a headwind to a crosswind that became in excess of 17 kt. As a result of this; I side-loaded my right main landing gear. As an attempt to keep the nose gear off for as long as possible; I increased power to aid in my attempt. After doing this the crosswind sheared to a tailwind; which as result forced my nose straight into the ground. With the increase in power and the direct nose impact; this resulted in the aircraft bouncing. As a result of the bounce; I initiated go-around procedures. As a I began to gain altitude; the aircraft who was not talking to anyone came to a stop on Runway XY. As a precautionary measure I flew 10 miles out and climbed up to 2500 ft. I soon turned towards the airfield and began making position reports every mile as an attempt to make contact with this aircraft. Unable to make any sort of communication with this aircraft; I overflew the field to try and see his exact position. I observed that he was off the active runway and on a taxiway. Upon noticing this; I made the decision to go in and land. This decision was based upon the fact that I was unaware of any possible damage to the aircraft and I had no exact way of telling what this other aircraft's intentions were. Upon making my base to final turn for Runway XX; this aircraft turned off the taxiway and departed Runway XY. I made a landing on XX and was able to taxi back to the hangar.As I taxied up to my hangar; this aircraft was finally able to make contact with me as he reported radio difficulties. Upon performing a normal shutdown; I got out and examined the aircraft and the only direct observation that could be made was that the tube of the front nose gear tire had gone flat. It was only once the cowling was removed that the damage to the firewall was observed. A learning experience that I will take away from this is to be more aware of potential traffic surrounding me and in my airspace. The most important one I believe is to be more aware of the possibility of windshear on final. This better preparation and awareness I believe; would help me to respond better if a situation like this were to occur again and I was called upon to take action. Having this type of experience will benefit me as before; I did not have the chance to be forced to react in a situation like this. Having gone through this will help me to learn from my mistakes and allow me to correct them and perform an appropriate response to these less-than-ideal landing conditions in the future. I also believe that I need to learn to be more hesitant about adding power in a situation like this and learn to make more accurate or precise adjustments that might be necessary.
C172 pilot reported an NMAC event with another aircraft while trying to land at the airport and bouncing on the landing; and proceeded to perform a go-around procedure.