Incident Details
A student pilot departed his home field in light and variable wind conditions for his fourth solo flight, intending to practice flight maneuvers. Upon returning to the field to conduct landings, the wind had increased, and he was directed to a runway with which he was unfamiliar. During the landing flare, the aircraft experienced a hard touchdown and subsequent bounce, which initiated a porpoise maneuver. The porpoise maneuver resulted in the collapse of the nose landing strut.
Aircraft Damage
Following the collapse of the nose landing strut, the aircraft departed the runway. The incident caused damage to the propeller, the nose strut mount, and the firewall. The aircraft came to rest off the runway surface.
Pilot Background
The pilot was a student operating on his fourth solo flight. He had been practicing maneuvers as part of his flight training prior to attempting landings.