Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper flare and unsuccessful attempt to correct a bounced landing, which resulted in the overrun landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During a solo cross-country flight the student pilot had attempted to land twice but due to the gusty wind conditions he had aborted the attempts. On the third attempt to land, the gusty wind conditions had not changed. The student pilot reported that his approach speed was never low enough to extend the flaps beyond 10 degrees. On touchdown the airplane bounced twice, and on the third touchdown point he reported he was "far down the runway and still had a lot of speed." The student pilot determined that the airplane was traveling too fast to stop prior to the runway ending, so he attempted to turn left at the runway end taxiway. The airplane did not negotiate the turn and the airplane departed the taxiway and into a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear and to the right wing. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Source record
Factual narrative
During a solo cross-country flight the student pilot had attempted to land two times but due to the gusty wind conditions he had aborted the attempts. On the third attempted landing the gusty wind conditions had not changed. The student pilot reported that his approach speed was never low enough to extend the flaps beyond 10 degrees. On touchdown the airplane bounced two times, and on the third touchdown point he reported he was "far down the runway and still had a lot of speed." The student pilot determined that the airplane was traveling too fast to stop prior to the runway ending, so he attempted to turn left at the runway end taxiway. The airplane did not negotiate the turn and the airplane departed the taxiway and into a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear and to the right wing. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.