Incident Details
During his first solo cross-country flight, a student pilot reported that his approach was too high and too fast. The aircraft landed hard and bounced. Upon the second impact with the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed and became jammed between the fuselage and the runway surface. As the aircraft skidded, the collapsed gear produced sparks. The fuel strainer drain fitting broke off, allowing fuel to escape. A fire then started and burned a hole in the bottom of the aircraft.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot stated that he executed an approach that was too high and too fast. The resulting landing was hard, causing the aircraft to bounce. When the aircraft contacted the runway a second time, the nose gear structure failed. The collapsed gear was wedged between the fuselage and the runway, preventing normal movement and generating sparks during the skid. Simultaneously, the fuel strainer drain fitting separated, releasing fuel. The combination of sparks and fuel led to a fire that burned through the underside of the aircraft.
Damage
The fire caused a hole in the bottom of the aircraft. The nose gear assembly was collapsed and jammed. Other damage details were not specified in the report.
Probable Cause
The report did not assign a probable cause.