Incident Summary
A student pilot flying a special light-sport airplane on a solo cross-country flight experienced a landing accident at a towered airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure when the nose landing gear failed during a series of bounces.
Flight Details
The pilot conducted a preflight inspection, engine start and runup, takeoff, and flight without incident. Approaching the destination airport, the pilot was instructed to enter the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 16. The pilot was cleared for "closed traffic" pattern work and directed to follow another airplane. The pilot informed the air traffic controller that he intended to perform a full stop landing. Shortly thereafter, he was instructed to turn base leg.
Landing Sequence
After turning final, the pilot selected full flaps (40 degrees) for landing. The wind was reported as 180 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot noted that the airplane was "just a little" to the right of the centerline for part of the last segment of the final approach. The pilot flared, and the airplane touched down on the main landing gear. The airplane then "ballooned" back into the air. It bounced again, and on the third bounce, the nose landing gear failed. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway.
Post-Accident Observations
The pilot reported that during the bounce sequence, he used only the control wheel to attempt to control and stop the bounces; he did not vary the throttle setting. The pilot also reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.