Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper level off which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was an inadeuate recovery from a bounced landing, and the pilot's lack of total flight experience.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot said, '...descended for flare to landing. Misjudged rate of closure for flare with runway surface....contacted ground on all three wheels, bounced...came down...on nose wheel breaking off nose wheel....overturned airplane.' pilot was conducting a solo cross country flight. Pilot had 143 hours total flight time, but approximately 70 hours were accumulated in 1941. He had approximately 15 hours solo flight time.
Source record
Factual narrative
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