Incident Summary
A student pilot on the first leg of a solo cross-country flight experienced a hard landing and subsequent runway excursion. The flight began with an uneventful departure. As the pilot approached the first destination, she requested a stop-and-go landing from air traffic controllers and received clearance.
Sequence of Events
The pilot began the descent and extended the flaps. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, prompting the pilot to apply forward elevator pressure. This action caused the nosewheel to strike the ground hard. The pilot then attempted a go-around, but the airplane departed to the right of the runway and came to rest in a grass area.
Damage
The initial ground strike bent the nose gear aft. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and forward fuselage.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.