NTSB Factual Report

After departing the airport, the student pilot of the Cessna 172M flew with his flight instructor to a fixed location and returned to the airport. The student pilot and his instructor landed at the airport without incident and the flight instructor exited the airplane. The student pilot retrieved the current weather information and departed the airport again. This was the student pilot’s third supervised solo flight. He flew back to the fixed location and turned back to the airport. The air traffic control tower cleared him to land. He said the approach seemed “normal.” The airplane touched down; then bounced once, possibly twice. During the bounced landing, the nose gear hit the runway hard. The nose wheel collapsed and the airplane “slid” from the center of the runway to the left edge before coming to a stop.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot's improper flare during landing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of experience.