What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft lost control on landing and the nose gear broke off of the acft, Silver City, NM. (.4)as the student pilot flared for landing on runway 26, a 'violent wind' forced the airplane into a right bank and it drifted 'slightly off' the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to level the wings and correct with opposite rudder, but the airplane contacted the ground with its right wing. The pilot added power but the airplane contacted the runway in a nose down attitude. The wind was reported to be from 290 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots. According to the wind component graph, a 30 degree right quartering headwind between 13 and 19 knots will result in a crosswind component between 5 and 9 knots and a headwind component between 11 and 17 knots. According to the 1965 Cessna 172F owner's manual, 'the maximum allowable crosswind velocity is dependent upon pilot capability rather than airplane limitations. With average pilot technique, direct crosswinds of 15 mph can be handled with safety.' (-23) on final approach for first solo landing this day (three prior landings this day with instructor). Approach normal but at flare a violent gust of wind hit aircraft, pilot attempted to regain control. Over control. Right wing contacted ground. Added power. Leveled wings but another gust hit aircraft. Pilot lost control. Aircraft rolled off to left nose down. Nose struck ground heavily. Considerable damage to nose & nose gear, possible firewall damage. Buckled bulkheads & fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT LOST CONTROL ON LANDING AND THE NOSE GEAR BROKE OFF OF THE ACFT, SILVER CITY, NM. (.4)AS THE STUDENT PILOT FLARED FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 26, A 'VIOLENT WIND' FORCED THE AIRPLANE INTO A RIGHT BANK AND IT DRIFTED 'SLIGHTLY OFF' THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE WINGS AND CORRECT WITH OPPOSITE RUDDER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE GROUND WITH ITS RIGHT WING. THE PILOT ADDED POWER BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 290 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE WIND COMPONENT GRAPH, A 30 DEGREE RIGHT QUARTERING HEADWIND BETWEEN 13 AND 19 KNOTS WILL RESULT IN A CROSSWIND COMPONENT BETWEEN 5 AND 9 KNOTS AND A HEADWIND COMPONENT BETWEEN 11 AND 17 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE 1965 CESSNA 172F OWNER'S MANUAL, 'THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CROSSWIND VELOCITY IS DEPENDENT UPON PILOT CAPABILITY RATHER THAN AIRPLANE LIMITATIONS. WITH AVERAGE PILOT TECHNIQUE, DIRECT CROSSWINDS OF 15 MPH CAN BE HANDLED WITH SAFETY.' (-23) ON FINAL APPROACH FOR FIRST SOLO LANDING THIS DAY (THREE PRIOR LANDINGS THIS DAY WITH INSTRUCTOR). APPROACH NORMAL BUT AT FLARE A VIOLENT GUST OF WIND HIT AIRCRAFT, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL. OVER CONTROL. RIGHT WING CONTACTED GROUND. ADDED POWER. LEVELED WINGS BUT ANOTHER GUST HIT AIRCRAFT. PILOT LOST CONTROL. AIRCRAFT ROLLED OFF TO LEFT NOSE DOWN. NOSE STRUCK GROUND HEAVILY. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO NOSE & NOSE GEAR, POSSIBLE FIREWALL DAMAGE. BUCKLED BULKHEADS & FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.