INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT ABOARD C172 LOSE ACFT CTL ON LNDG. RWY EXCURSION RESULTS WITH NO DAMAGE.

Narrative

WHILE LNDG AT SUGAR LAND ARPT; I STARTED MY ROUND-OUT AND AT ABOUT 65 KTS WITH FULL FLAPS; I WAS TOO HIGH; ABOUT 3 FT ABOVE THE RWY. THE STALL HORN WAS ON AND ADDED A LITTLE PWR TO KEEP THE PLANE FROM DROPPING AT THE SAME TIME I STARTED ADDING L RUDDER TO CORRECT FOR A XWIND OF 6 KTS. AT THAT TIME THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON THE MAINS. THE ACFT BOUNCED ONCE AND STARTED MOVING TO THE L OF CTR. AS THE NOSE TOUCHED I STILL HAD THE L RUDDER IN. THE ACFT PULLED HARD TO THE L; HEADING OFF THE RWY. TO KEEP FROM GND-LOOPING THE PLANE; I HEADED OFF THE RWY AS SMOOTH AS I COULD AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES. I WAS COMING UP ON A LNDG LIGHT; SO I ADDED SOME PWR AND REAR PRESSURE ON THE CTLS TO RAISE THE NOSE TO AVOID CONTACTING THE PROP AND NOSE GEAR. AFTER CLRING THE LIGHT; WE STOPPED UNDER CTL ABOUT 4 FT OFF THE RWY. THE TWR CALLED AND TOLD US TO HOLD. WE COULD HAVE GOT UNDERWAY ON OUR OWN PWR; BUT THE TWR WANTED TO HAVE US TOWED BACK TO THE PARKING AREA. WE INSPECTED THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE AND FOUND NONE. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC THAT DAY. AFTER REPLAYING THE LNDG IN MY MIND; I FEEL THAT THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF SIMPLY AFTER THE MAINS TOUCHED; RELAXED PRESSURE ON THE RUDDER PEDALS; THUS LETTING THE ACFT STRAIGHTEN THE NOSEWHEEL ON ITS OWN.