What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student pilot lost control of aircraft during initial solo flight landing, 2nd landing of the solo flight. During the second landing the aircraft ballooned up away from the runway during the landing flare. The student's reaction was to apply forward pressure on the yoke, abruptly returning the aircraft to the runway, upon which the aircraft "porpoised" (bounced) twice before subsequently collapsing the nose gear on the third landing, resulting in an accident (damage to firewall). Weather was clear, winds were calm at the time of the student solo flight. Air agency has instituted additional measures designed to safeguard the solo flight program, as noted below.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT DURING INITIAL SOLO FLIGHT LANDING, 2ND LANDING OF THE SOLO FLIGHT. DURING THE SECOND LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED UP AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING FLARE. THE STUDENT'S REACTION WAS TO APPLY FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE YOKE, ABRUPTLY RETURNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RUNWAY, UPON WHICH THE AIRCRAFT "PORPOISED" (BOUNCED) TWICE BEFORE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR ON THE THIRD LANDING, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT (DAMAGE TO FIREWALL). WEATHER WAS CLEAR, WINDS WERE CALM AT THE TIME OF THE STUDENT SOLO FLIGHT. AIR AGENCY HAS INSTITUTED ADDITIONAL MEASURES DESIGNED TO SAFEGUARD THE SOLO FLIGHT PROGRAM, AS NOTED BELOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N95429 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.