On June 30, 2000, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N9713T) was involved in an aviation accident near Montgomery, AL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and control during a gusty wind condition, which resulted in a porpoising landing and subsequent structural damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot experienced a porpoising incident during a supervised solo flight when gusty winds caused the aircraft to bounce three times before striking the ground nose-down.
What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight involving a student pilot conducting his first supervised solo operation. The pilot was performing touch-and-go landings as part of the practice session. During the second such landing, the pilot initiated the flare phase for touchdown. At this critical moment, a gust of wind impacted the aircraft's control surfaces and lift dynamics.
The sudden wind shear caused the airplane to porpoise, resulting in three distinct bounces off the runway surface. On the third bounce, the aircraft failed to recover its pitch attitude properly. It struck the ground with a nose-down orientation, leading to significant structural damage to the airframe. The student pilot was able to control the aircraft through the sequence but could not prevent the final impact due to the severity of the gust and the resulting loss of lift.
The investigation
Post-acc examination revealed that the primary issue was the aerodynamic instability caused by the wind gust during the flare. The structural damage was consistent with a nose-down impact following multiple bounces. No mechanical failures were reported as contributing factors. The pilot's account aligns with the physical evidence of the bounce sequence.
Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and control during a gusty wind condition, which resulted in a porpoising landing and subsequent structural damage.