Accident Overview
A student pilot landed hard at a private airstrip, damaging the airplane. The pilot reported that during the landing flare, a dust devil caused the airplane to porpoise upward. The airspeed dropped to zero, and the pilot chose to continue the landing rather than attempt a go-around.
Pilot and Flight Details
The student pilot had accumulated 60 total flight hours, with approximately 35 hours in the accident airplane. The flight originated from the pilot's farm, and the landing was at his private airstrip. No anomalies with the airplane were reported prior to the accident.
Landing and Damage
The airstrip's runway is oriented on a 120-degree magnetic heading. The pilot noted a slight crosswind but felt confident handling it. Following the dust devil encounter, the airplane impacted the ground, damaging the main landing gear, wings, and empennage.
Weather Conditions
The closest aviation weather reporting facility, located about 13 miles south of the accident site, reported wind from 250 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 16 knots. The pilot described the dust devil as causing the unusual aircraft motion.