Event Summary
A single-engine airplane nosed over following a hard landing that occurred during a solo instructional flight. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear and propeller.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had been practicing takeoffs and landings with a flight instructor. After several supervised circuits, the instructor exited the airplane, allowing the pilot to conduct solo landings. The first two solo landings were uneventful. The accident happened on the third solo landing.
According to the pilot, he closed the throttle upon reaching his designated aim point on the airstrip. The airplane then descended abruptly from an altitude of approximately 8 feet, contacting the runway on the nose wheel. The impact caused the aircraft to bounce. Upon contacting the ground again, the nose gear collapsed. The propeller struck the ground, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that the hard landing resulted from the airplane dropping from a height of about 8 feet after throttle closure at the aim point. No further causal factors were identified in the available information.