19970426006569A

Student pilot landed and aircraft ran off the runway, nose gear was sheared off. (.4) the student pilot departed on a solo cross-country flight during which deteriorating weather was forecast along the route. After the first leg of the flight, the pilot rested and did some additional flight planning, and then departed on the return leg. After departing an intermediate stop on the return leg of the flight, the pilot encountered rain, low clouds and high winds. He then elected to return to the airport where he had made the intermediate stop, but upon returning to that area, he found that he was unable to see the airport through the rain and clouds. While trying to fly to another airport, he happened to overfly a 2,000 foot runway, and elected to attempt a landing there. While on final approach to land, the rain, clouds, and crosswinds were significant enough that the pilot was having a hard time seeing the runway. He ultimately touched down past the mid-point of the runway, and the aircraft skidded off the end before he was able to get it stopped. When it departed the runway, the nose gear encountered soft terrain and was torn from the aircraft. It was later determined that the student's instructor did not monitor the preflight weather briefing and that the student did not get an updated weather briefing after his initial departure.