Incident Overview
A student pilot, under the supervision of a flight instructor, was conducting her first solo flight after completing 15 hours of dual instruction. The flight involved multiple landing attempts, with the fourth attempt resulting in a landing gear collapse and subsequent damage.
Sequence of Events
According to the flight instructor, the student pilot made three unsuccessful landing attempts before the incident. On the first and second attempts, the airplane bounced upon touchdown, prompting the student to apply power and execute a go-around. During the third attempt, a small helicopter was present on the runway, leading to another go-around.
On the fourth attempt at landing, the airplane touched down normally. However, immediately after touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then skidded to a stop on the right side of the runway.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducted a post-accident examination of the airplane. The inspection revealed that the right side fuselage incurred substantial damage due to buckling. The flight instructor reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.