Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing in gusting winds.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot completed his first solo flight the day prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, the student pilot was completing another solo flight in the traffic pattern. During his third landing on runway 5, the airplane bounced once, then landed again and collapsed the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the runway and sustained damage to the firewall. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the student pilot. The recorded wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 040 degrees at 4 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
Source record
Factual narrative
The student pilot completed his first solo flight during the day prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, the student pilot was completing another solo flight in the traffic pattern. During his third landing on runway 5, the airplane bounced once, then landed again and collapsed the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the runway and sustained damage to the firewall. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the student pilot. The recorded wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 040 degrees at 4 knots, gusting to 16 knots.