Incident Summary
A solo student pilot reported encountering difficulties during the approach phase of a flight. While aiming to maintain an airspeed of 60 to 70 knots, the pilot struggled to keep the airplane within that range. In response, he entered a side slip and reduced the engine power to idle. After becoming confident that the airplane would reach the runway, he aligned it with the runway. The airplane then touched down on the left main landing gear, bounced, and the student pilot initiated a go-around. Following the go-around, he rejoined the left traffic pattern and landed without further incident.
Pilot Report
The student pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation. The go-around was performed after the bounce, and the subsequent landing was uneventful.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The examination did not uncover any evidence of mechanical issues that could have contributed to the event.
Weather Conditions
The automated weather observation station at the airport reported that, about six minutes before the accident, the wind was from 270 degrees at 6 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 33.