Incident Overview
A 22-hour student pilot rented an aircraft to practice takeoffs and landings. The pilot reported that the approach was normal with a stabilized descent rate of 400 feet per minute until the aircraft reached about 200 feet above ground level (AGL) on short final.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the aircraft suddenly encountered a strong sink rate accompanied by a loss of airspeed. The pilot immediately applied power and increased the pitch attitude in an effort to arrest the descent. However, the descent rate could not be controlled before the aircraft's main landing gear collided with a dirt berm located about 30 feet short of the runway.
Additional Details
The pilot, who had logged 22 hours of flight time, was the sole occupant of the aircraft. The incident occurred during a routine practice session. No further information regarding the aircraft or the extent of damage was provided in the source.