What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student pilot on first solo. Student pilot completed first of 3 landings and on the 2nd landing had a hard landing. The prop struck runway 17 at tki airport. Nosewheel impacted runway and bottom of engine cowling causing buckling of the cowling and flooring. Pilot had hands on control yoke and bent yoke on impact. Flight controls rendered useless as the yoke will not move more than 1/4 inch. Rudder travel now limited to approximately 25% of full travel. All control cables appear to be binding in the floor boards.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT PILOT ON FIRST SOLO. STUDENT PILOT COMPLETED FIRST OF 3 LANDINGS AND ON THE 2ND LANDING HAD A HARD LANDING. THE PROP STRUCK RUNWAY 17 AT TKI AIRPORT. NOSEWHEEL IMPACTED RUNWAY AND BOTTOM OF ENGINE COWLING CAUSING BUCKLING OF THE COWLING AND FLOORING. PILOT HAD HANDS ON CONTROL YOKE AND BENT YOKE ON IMPACT. FLIGHT CONTROLS RENDERED USELESS AS THE YOKE WILL NOT MOVE MORE THAN 1/4 INCH. RUDDER TRAVEL NOW LIMITED TO APPROXIMATELY 25% OF FULL TRAVEL. ALL CONTROL CABLES APPEAR TO BE BINDING IN THE FLOOR BOARDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.