Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control and subsequent nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot reported that he was flying his first solo flight and had just performed an uneventful touch-and-go landing. During the second landing flare, the airplane floated along the runway, then landed hard. The airplane then veered left, departed the runway, and nosed over in the adjacent grass area. The fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.