Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
While conducting touch and go landings during the student pilot’s first solo flight, the Cessna 172S hit the runway "hard" and then bounced. The pilot added power, but the airplane "stalled" and the nose of the airplane pitched down, impacting the runway on the nose landing gear. The fuselage and firewall were substantially damaged during landing.
Source record
Factual narrative
While conducting touch and go landings during the student pilot’s first solo flight, the Cessna 172S hit the runway "hard" and then bounced. The pilot added power, but the airplane "stalled" and the nose of the airplane pitched down, impacting the runway on the nose landing gear. The fuselage and firewall were substantially damaged during landing.