Accident Overview
The sole occupant of the airplane, a student pilot flying solo, reported that while landing in crosswind conditions, the aircraft porpoised several times before the nose gear struck the runway hard. The airplane then veered to the right and departed the runway surface. The incident occurred during a landing attempt on runway 29 right.
Aircraft Damage
Examination after the event revealed substantial damage to the engine mounts. The nose gear was also damaged as a result of the hard impact. No other damage was specified in the report.
Pilot Report
The student pilot stated that there were no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot attributed the sequence of events to the handling of the crosswind condition.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, the automated weather observing system at the airport recorded wind from 240 degrees true at a speed of 16 knots. The pilot reported landing on runway 29 right, which is consistent with a crosswind from the left relative to the runway heading.