What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot in command (PIC) of the Cessna 172 was on their first solo flight in the pattern at lewis university airport, Romeoville, Illinois (klot). The pic’s first approach to landing resulted in a go around. The pic’s second approach result in another go around. On their third approach to landing, the PIC self-reported that they bounced the landing and elected to push forward on the yoke to get the airplane back on the ground, versus perform another go-around.
After landing, the PIC taxied the airplane back to parking where they were met by the supervising certified flight instructor (CFI). Once the engine was shutdown, the CFI noticed that the propeller appeared to have made contact with the runway during the landing. Upon further inspection by flight school’s maintenance staff, damage to the firewall and floor boards was also discovered. No injuries or damage to the runway. Aircraft sustain substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF THE CESSNA 172 WAS ON THEIR FIRST SOLO FLIGHT IN THE PATTERN AT LEWIS UNIVERSITY AIRPORT, ROMEOVILLE, ILLINOIS (KLOT). THE PIC’S FIRST APPROACH TO LANDING RESULTED IN A GO AROUND. THE PIC’S SECOND APPROACH RESULT IN ANOTHER GO AROUND. ON THEIR THIRD APPROACH TO LANDING, THE PIC SELF-REPORTED THAT THEY BOUNCED THE LANDING AND ELECTED TO PUSH FORWARD ON THE YOKE TO GET THE AIRPLANE BACK ON THE GROUND, VERSUS PERFORM ANOTHER GO-AROUND.
AFTER LANDING, THE PIC TAXIED THE AIRPLANE BACK TO PARKING WHERE THEY WERE MET BY THE SUPERVISING CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI). ONCE THE ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN, THE CFI NOTICED THAT THE PROPELLER APPEARED TO HAVE MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY FLIGHT SCHOOL’S MAINTENANCE STAFF, DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL AND FLOOR BOARDS WAS ALSO DISCOVERED. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT SUSTAIN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.