What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student pilot on second solo flight reported a downdraft just prior to flare. The aircraft landed nose wheel first. Propeller blades did not contact runway. Hard landing inspection found the firewall buckled above the mount for the nose strut.
Student pilot had history of unsatisfactory performance in flight fundamentals and approach & landing.
Part 141 school flight training records procedures does not require a specific record of training to redress unsatifactory performance on previous flights. School claimed liability issues in restricting comments on correcting deficiencies.
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT PILOT ON SECOND SOLO FLIGHT REPORTED A DOWNDRAFT JUST PRIOR TO FLARE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED NOSE WHEEL FIRST. PROPELLER BLADES DID NOT CONTACT RUNWAY. HARD LANDING INSPECTION FOUND THE FIREWALL BUCKLED ABOVE THE MOUNT FOR THE NOSE STRUT.
STUDENT PILOT HAD HISTORY OF UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE IN FLIGHT FUNDAMENTALS AND APPROACH & LANDING.
PART 141 SCHOOL FLIGHT TRAINING RECORDS PROCEDURES DOES NOT REQUIRE A SPECIFIC RECORD OF TRAINING TO REDRESS UNSATIFACTORY PERFORMANCE ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS. SCHOOL CLAIMED LIABILITY ISSUES IN RESTRICTING COMMENTS ON CORRECTING DEFICIENCIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.