Introduction
A student pilot on a local solo training flight encountered difficulties during the landing pattern, resulting in a hard landing that caused substantial damage to the aircraft. The incident occurred as the aircraft was on final approach.
Sequence of Events
After completing the training flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern. During the landing pattern, the pilot reduced the throttle in a stepwise manner and did not activate carburetor heat. While on final approach at approximately 50 feet AGL, the propeller began to slow down, and the aircraft's descent rate increased sharply. The aircraft then made a hard touchdown, leading to substantial damage.
Environmental Conditions
The ambient temperature was 87°F, and the dew point was 65°F. Weather charts indicated that serious carburetor icing was likely at glide power settings given these conditions.