Probable cause
The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot reported that during his first solo flight the first touchdown was smooth; however, the airplane bounced and became airborne. The second touchdown was much firmer. On the third touchdown the airplane impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude, whereupon the nose gear assembly and several structural components in the composite fuselage broke.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10LA426 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Aug 24, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona
- Nearest airport
- Buckeye Municipal (BXK)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Grob-Werke G 120A
- N-number
- N865AF
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.