What happened
The accident occurred while a solo student pilot was conducting a training flight involving touch-and-go landings. During one such attempt, the pilot allowed the aircraft to make initial contact with the runway surface using the nose wheel rather than the main landing gear. This improper touchdown technique caused the airplane to porpoise, or bounce repeatedly along the runway surface.
Following the initial bounce, the aircraft bounced a second time with sufficient force to lift it completely off the ground. Upon descending, the right wing struck the ground, causing significant damage and loss of directional control. The aircraft then spun around before finally coming to rest against nearby bushes adjacent to the runway.
The investigation
Post-accident examination confirmed that the student pilot was properly endorsed for solo flight at the time of the incident. Review of the pilot's logbook indicated a total flight experience of 59.5 hours, with 42.5 of those hours specifically logged in the make and model of aircraft involved in the accident.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the improper landing technique employed by the student pilot. Allowing the nose wheel to touch down first during a touch-and-go maneuver disrupted the normal flight path, resulting in an uncontrollable porpoise and subsequent bounce off the runway surface.