Cessna 172 N2473G accident near Frederick, Maryland

Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the touch down resulting in a bounced landing, subsequent hard landing and substantial damage to the firewall.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot of the tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane reported that he executed a normal approach to the asphalt runway. He recalled that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear and bounced. He reported that when the airplane settled to the runway after it bounced, the nose gear struck the ground hard. The student pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp per the control tower's instruction and shut down. A post flight examination of the airplane by the flight school revealed substantial damage to the firewall.

The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16CA343 for the full record.