Sundowner 23
Flight Crew Student
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 23; Flight Crew Total 81; Flight Crew Type 16
Training / Qualification
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors
My plan for the day was to practice landings. It was a clear day without clouds; unrestricted visibility  with the winds pretty well in line with the runway. I performed a total of 6 successful normal landings. During the 7th approach everything seemed normal; including  the approach speed & altitude; the round-out seemed normal as well. However; as I was preparing to touch down; it felt like a bounce. Took evasive action; however; by that time the plane had started to steer to the right; assuming the propeller had struck the pavement causing the oscillation to the right. The momentum forced me into the grass; I still appeared to have some directional control which allowed me to get the plane back onto the runway. The changes in surface from pavement to grass and back to the pavement exacerbated nose wheel damage. There were no injuries or damage to property. The plane's nose gear bent backwards and had to be towed back to the FBO. Everything happened very fast!
My student was soloing in the pattern. He has about 80 hours; and previously I had been preparing him for his Private Pilot check ride. I had practiced every possible situation upon landing; and how to recover from it. We had done recovery from a bounce; and ballooning. Extreme cross winds; go arounds. After about 4 to 5 landings in the pattern; he bounced the plane. I cannot report what happened as I was not on board the airplane. According to him; he landed very hard. The plane had some damage to it.
BE-23 student pilot and his instructor reported the student lost control of his aircraft after landing; resulting in a runway excursion and damage to the nose gear.