AS A FAVOR TO A FELLOW CFI; A FLT INSTRUCTOR FINDS THAT THE STUDENT PLT HE SIGNED OFF FOR A XCOUNTRY LANDS A PA28-140 AT OFK AND COLLAPSES THE NOSE GEAR.

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UPON REVIEWING AND SIGNING OFF THE STUDENT PLT CERTIFICATION FOR THE XCOUNTRY FLT; I WAS LATER INFORMED THAT; UPON ARRIVING AT THE NORFOLK ARPT; THAT THE STUDENT PLT HAD COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR ON THE PA28-140. AFTER DISCUSSING; AT LENGTH; WITH THE STUDENT I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE NOSE GEAR HAD COLLAPSED DUE TO THE STUDENT PORPOISING THE ACFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND. THE STUDENT HAD ORIGINALLY STARTED FLYING C152'S AND HAD ONLY HAD 18 HRS IN TYPE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS LOWER TIME WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE INCIDENT. HAVING ONLY FLOWN 2 OTHER TIMES WITH THIS STUDENT AND ALLOWING THE OTHER INSTRUCTOR'S SOLO ENDORSEMENT TO SOLO THE AIRPLANE BY THE STUDENT GAVE ME LITTLE IDEA OF HIS FLYING ABILITIES. I ENDORSED THE STUDENT'S XCOUNTRY ENDORSEMENT AFTER REVIEWING HIS PLAN AND FINDING WINDS AND CEILING TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE SOLO FLT. THIS PUTS AN INSTRUCTOR IN A BAD POS TO HAVE TO ENDORSE A STUDENT FOR XCOUNTRY FLTS WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO HAVE FLOWN WITH THE STUDENT BEFORE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE A PART THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERLOOKING A PROB AREA. A SUGGESTION IS THAT THE INSTRUCTOR THAT ENDORSES FOR SOLO FLTS BE THE PERSON WHO SIGNS OFF THE XCOUNTRY.