Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and the nose landing gear collapse.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot reported, that during the landing flare, the airplane floated down the runway. He attempted to settle the airplane softly onto the runway, but the airplane bounced twice and came to rest in the dirt on the side of the runway. A post-accident examination revealed that the nose landing gear folded forward, which resulted in substantial damage to the tunnel structure. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.