Primary finding
Probable cause
Poor in-flight planning. Factors to the accident were: inadequate remedial action and uncontrolled porpoise.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During a solo instructional flight, the student pilot reported that during the third touch and go landing, the approach was normal until the airplane passed the threshold. The airplane remained airborne and floated down the runway. As the airspeed diminished, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The airplane continued to bounce until it finally stabilized and the pilot was able to taxi the airplane off the runway.
Source record
Factual narrative
On April 29, 1994, at 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N53161, landed hard and bounced during the landing at the Hillsboro Airport, Hillsboro, Oregon, during a student solo 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 was not injured. The student pilot was practicing touch and go landings when during the third touch and go, the pilot stated that the approach was normal until passing over the threshold. The airplane remained airborne and "floated" down the runway. When the airspeed diminished sufficiently, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The airplane continued to bounce down the runway until it finally stabilized and the pilot taxied the airplane off the runway. -