LAX07CA089

The airplane touched down hard and bounced, which overloaded and cracked the light sport airplane's firewall. The student pilot reported that he misjudged the landing flare and overreacted by pushing the elevator control stick too far forward. There were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

On February 17, 2007, about 1400 mountain standard time, a Flight Design GMBH, model CTSW, N7722D, made a hard bounced landing on runway 11L at the Nampa Municipal Airport, Nampa, Idaho. Upon the airplane's subsequent examination, its engine mount was observed bent and the firewall was found cracked. The light sport airplane was substantially damaged. The student pilot, who owned and operated the airplane during the solo instructional flight, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and it originated from Nampa about 1330.

The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the airplane bounced at least two times off its nose gear. This occurred when he "overreacted" during the landing flare by pushing the airplane's elevator control stick too far forward. The student pilot also stated to the Safety Board investigator that the accident was "completely my fault." There were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.