Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper landing flare and failure to properly recover from a bounced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was executing a touch-and-go landing when he landed hard. The airplane bounced and then landed hard on the nose gear, which collapsed damaging the firewall.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 29, 1994, about 1000 eastern daylight time, N757GD, a Cessna 152 registered to Flight Enterprises Inc., landed hard on landing at Kay Larkin Airport, Palatka, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from the same airport about 30 minutes earlier. The student pilot landed hard, bounced, and the nose gear collapsed, damaging the firewall. Multiple attempts to have the operator or student pilot report the accident were met with negative results. -