NTSB Factual Report

On August 4, 2002, at approximately 1115 mountain daylight time, a Cessna R172K, N758AR, operated by SB Aviation Group Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a touch-and-go landing at Monticello Airport (U43), Monticello, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for this cross-country solo flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN), Farmington, New Mexico, at approximately 0830.

According to the student pilot, he was on a solo cross-country flight and was conducting a touch-and-go landing at Monticello. The approach was "normal with slight turbulence and a quartering headwind." His flare was "straight down the runway, however I struck the nose wheel first and started to porpoise." The airplane porpoised several times and struck the edge of the runway hard, collapsing the nose landing gear and buckling the firewall. He maneuvered the airplane back on to the runway and taxied it to the parking area.

At the time of the accident, the weather conditions at Moab, UT, located at 350 degrees and 50 statute miles from Monticello were: wind, 070 degrees at 5 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature, 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), dew point, 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit); and the altimeter setting was, 30.18. The calculated density altitude at was 7,477 ft. msl.

NTSB Probable Cause

the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors include the porpoise and subsequent bounced landing and the student pilot's lack of total experience.