Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a tail strike.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The purpose of the flight was for the student pilot to complete her solo cross county requirement for a private pilot certificate. During landing, she maneuvered the airplane into a flare and it contacted the runway surface hard. The airplane bounced and became airborne again. The pilot elected to continue the landing attempt instead of performing a go-around and added power while maneuvering the airplane in a nose-low attitude. The propeller and nose landing gear impacted the runway surface and the airplane then pitched up, which resulted in a tail strike and substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.