NTSB Factual Report

The 79-hour solo student pilot reported that he was on final approach to Runway 17 at an indicated airspeed of 70 knots with the airplane configured with 20-degrees of flaps. The pilot added on the NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report) that the airplane crossed over the trees at the north end of the runway and was "still descending in a nose-down attitude, about to round-out when the airplane literally dropped out of the air." The airplane landed hard and bounced in a nose down attitude and the pilot was unable to recover. The airplane struck the runway and the nose gear collapsed and skidded down the runway approximately 900-feet before coming to rest in the main landing gear and the bottom of the engine cowling. The aircraft sustained structural damage to the engine firewall. Weather at the time of the incident was reported as clear skies, winds from 170 degrees at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, temperature 21 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches of Mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.