Accident Overview
The accident flight was the student pilot's first solo flight. Prior to the solo portion, a certificated flight instructor conducted several landings with the student. The student pilot took off without incident and entered the traffic pattern.
Accident Sequence
While on final approach and close to the ground, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind that pushed it to the left. The student pilot reported using right aileron to correct for the wind angle but was unable to stop the drift. The airplane touched down to the left of the runway and then became airborne a second time. The student pilot then attempted to land on an adjacent taxiway. During this attempt, the propeller struck a taxiway sign and the left wing impacted a hangar.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and firewall. No evidence of any pre-impact failure or malfunction of the airplane or engine was found.