What happened
The incident occurred while a student pilot was conducting his second solo flight. During the approach and landing phase, the pilot reported encountering a downdraft that contributed to a hard initial touchdown. Following this impact, the aircraft bounced back into the air before striking the runway surface again with significant force.
After the second impact, the airplane began to oscillate in a porpoising motion along the ground. This violent movement resulted in substantial structural damage. The nose wheel landing gear was broken off completely, and the firewall behind the engine compartment was buckled due to the stress of the event.
The investigation
Post-accident examination confirmed the mechanical failures described by the pilot. The nose landing gear assembly was detached from the airframe. Structural deformation was evident on the firewall, consistent with the forces generated by the hard landings and subsequent oscillation.