Incident Overview
A Cessna 172SP sustained substantial damage after the nose landing gear collapsed during a landing at a large, well-lit international airport. The private pilot, who was flying solo at night for the first time at that airport, reported that the approach was "a little high, a little fast, and I flared higher than usual." The airplane landed hard, bounced, and the nose gear folded, resulting in structural damage.
Pilot Experience
The pilot held a private pilot certificate and was flying in preparation for an additional rating. According to her logbook, she had accumulated 160 total hours of flight experience, including 22 hours at night. Her most recent night landing with an instructor had occurred two nights before the accident. Prior to that instructional flight, her previous night landing was 64 days earlier. The accident flight marked her first solo night operation at this particular airport.
Damage and Sequence
The impact forces during the hard landing and subsequent bounce exceeded the nose landing gear's structural limits, causing it to collapse. The aircraft sustained substantial damage as a result. The pilot was not injured, and no other persons or aircraft were involved.
Investigation Findings
The investigation reviewed the pilot's flight experience and the circumstances of the landing. The pilot's description of the approach and flare, combined with her limited recent night landing practice, were noted as factual elements of the event. No probable cause was determined in the available source material.