What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After an initial go-around, student pilot on first-ever solo landing attempt porpoised the aircraft and landed hard on nose landing gear. Aircraft taxied back for second circuit of pattern, as briefed at start of lesson. Student's instructor witnessed porpoise event on first landing. Instructor and student performed cursory inspection after second landing, didn't observe any damage, and returned to home base.
Next crew conducting pre-flight inspection discovered aircraft damage, including binding flight controls, and tip scoring on one propeller blade, then grounded the aircraft. Closer inspection revealed buckled firewall and floorboards.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER AN INITIAL GO-AROUND, STUDENT PILOT ON FIRST-EVER SOLO LANDING ATTEMPT PORPOISED THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED HARD ON NOSE LANDING GEAR. AIRCRAFT TAXIED BACK FOR SECOND CIRCUIT OF PATTERN, AS BRIEFED AT START OF LESSON. STUDENT'S INSTRUCTOR WITNESSED PORPOISE EVENT ON FIRST LANDING. INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PERFORMED CURSORY INSPECTION AFTER SECOND LANDING, DIDN'T OBSERVE ANY DAMAGE, AND RETURNED TO HOME BASE.
NEXT CREW CONDUCTING PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION DISCOVERED AIRCRAFT DAMAGE, INCLUDING BINDING FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND TIP SCORING ON ONE PROPELLER BLADE, THEN GROUNDED THE AIRCRAFT. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED BUCKLED FIREWALL AND FLOORBOARDS.
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 N121CW · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.