Incident Overview
During a solo flight, a student pilot experienced a hard landing while practicing a soft field landing technique. The student pilot reported that they flared too high and simultaneously reduced the engine power to idle, which resulted in the hard landing. The flight was the student's fourth solo flight and was conducted without supervision.
Background
The student pilot had been practicing short and soft field takeoffs and landings under the guidance of a flight instructor. The instructor assessed that the student pilot was prepared to practice these maneuvers independently, leading to the authorization for unsupervised solo flight.
Contributing Factors
According to the student pilot's account, the hard landing occurred because the flare was initiated too high, and the power was reduced to idle at the same moment. This combination led to an excessive descent rate and a firm touchdown.
Conclusion
The incident involved a hard landing during a soft field landing practice. No additional details about the aircraft, location, or other circumstances are available from the source.