What happened
During an approach to landing, a private pilot flying from the right seat performed an unstabilized approach in a Cessna 172. The aircraft was descending at a high rate with visible wing rocking and yawing. Upon touchdown, the airplane contacted the runway with its nose and right main wheels first. The aircraft then bounced approximately 20 feet into the air and veered to the right.
Following this initial contact, the aircraft yawed left and struck the runway again with the left main wheel and nose wheel. After a second bounce, the airplane continued turning left and eventually contacted the ground for a third time in a left wing-low attitude. During the sequence, the pilot applied left rudder while pulling the nose up, which activated the stall warning buzzer. The pilot then lowered the nose abruptly, causing the nose wheel to strike the runway. As the aircraft swerved off the runway, the landing gear was overloaded, resulting in its collapse.
Occupying the left seat was the aircraft owner, who also held a private pilot certificate. The owner noted that the instructor's control of the aircraft from the right seat had been problematic since takeoff.