On June 7, 2002, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N49672) was involved in an aviation accident near Henderson, NV. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and the instructor's inadequate supervision. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During touch-and-go practice, a student pilot flared too high, causing a hard bounce. On go-around, the airplane contacted the ground twice more and came to rest left of the runway, with substantial wing and fuselage damage.
Accident
A training airplane experienced a bounced landing during touch-and-go practice, leading to two additional ground contacts during the subsequent go-around. The airplane came to rest on the left side of the runway.
Sequence of Events
The airplane was in the landing pattern practicing touch-and-go landings. On the third approach, the student flared too high, causing the airplane to contact the ground hard and bounce. The certified flight instructor (CFI) instructed the student to execute a go-around by applying full power and reducing the flaps to the first notch. The student applied full power but raised the flaps to the full up position. The CFI then lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane contacted the ground again. The right wing dug into dirt and rocks in the uneven terrain beside the runway.
Damage
The wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage.