What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.23) Student pilot on the third leg of a cross country flight was attempting to land ipl on 5/18/99, 1145 PST. Student pilot flared too soon, attempted to correct, a/c porpoised and struck ground hard. Damage to nose gear, propellor, cowling, and firewall. No injuries to sole occupant. Flight originated at thermal, CA about 1125 PST. (.4)inbound to the airport, the pilot requested a landing advisory from the CTAF. They advised runway 14 was in use. As the pilot neared the airport, another aircraft asked for advisories. That aircraft was advised that runway 32 was in use and landed on it. The pilot tried to contact the CTAF to verify runway 32 was now in use, but received no response. She entered right traffic for runway 32 and noted the windsock indicated there was no wind. She overshot the turn to final but corrected to line up on the runway centerline. She flared too high and tried to correct; however, during the landing, the aircraft started to porpoise. The propeller struck the ground, buckling the cowling and firewall. The pilot taxied clear of the runway and shut down.
As the FAA filed it
(.23) STUDENT PILOT ON THE THIRD LEG OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IPL ON 5/18/99, 1145 PST. STUDENT PILOT FLARED TOO SOON, ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT, A/C PORPOISED AND STRUCK GROUND HARD. DAMAGE TO NOSE GEAR, PROPELLOR, COWLING, AND FIREWALL. NO INJURIES TO SOLE OCCUPANT. FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THERMAL, CA ABOUT 1125 PST. (.4)INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT REQUESTED A LANDING ADVISORY FROM THE CTAF. THEY ADVISED RUNWAY 14 WAS IN USE. AS THE PILOT NEARED THE AIRPORT, ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ASKED FOR ADVISORIES. THAT AIRCRAFT WAS ADVISED THAT RUNWAY 32 WAS IN USE AND LANDED ON IT. THE PILOT TRIED TO CONTACT THE CTAF TO VERIFY RUNWAY 32 WAS NOW IN USE, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. SHE ENTERED RIGHT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 32 AND NOTED THE WINDSOCK INDICATED THERE WAS NO WIND. SHE OVERSHOT THE TURN TO FINAL BUT CORRECTED TO LINE UP ON THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. SHE FLARED TOO HIGH AND TRIED TO CORRECT; HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO PORPOISE. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND, BUCKLING THE COWLING AND FIREWALL. THE PILOT TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY AND SHUT DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.