Overview
During a routine training flight, a student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. The airplane landed hard and subsequently veered off the runway. The incident began when, during the landing flare, the airplane's nose pitched up excessively. The pilot decided to perform a go-around. Before the pilot could increase engine power, the nose dropped, causing the propeller blades to impact the runway surface. The airplane then bounced down the runway, veering left. It continued off the runway into a gravel area, where the pilot applied brake pressure and brought the airplane to a stop.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot was engaged in a touch-and-go practice session, a maneuver where the pilot lands the airplane and immediately takes off again without stopping. As the airplane flared to land, the nose pitched up more than intended. The pilot chose to abort the landing and initiated a go-around. However, before the throttle was advanced, the nose lowered and the propeller blades struck the runway. This impact caused the airplane to bounce and deviate from the runway centerline, veering to the left. The airplane continued moving leftwards off the paved runway surface and onto a gravel area. The pilot then applied the brakes, bringing the airplane to a halt. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.