Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing touchdown, resulting in a hard landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, she landed "a bit hard," and the forward momentum caused the nose of the airplane to contact the runway. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the right aft wing strut and to the fuselage underneath the rudder pedals. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Source record
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, she landed "a bit hard," and the forward momentum caused the nose of the airplane to contact the runway. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the right aft wing strut and to the fuselage underneath the rudder pedals. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.