Incident Overview
A solo student pilot reported that during landing, the airplane touched down hard on the left side of the runway. He applied right rudder, but the airplane did not respond quickly enough. Consequently, he added power to perform a go-around. However, the airplane departed the runway to the left, struck a ditch, and the nose landing gear collapsed.
Post-Accident Comments
The student pilot noted that after the event, his instructor informed him that he could have used the right brake to aid in directional control.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
Mechanical Condition
The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.