Event ERA12CA569

Factual narrative

The student pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he flared the airplane too high, resulting in a hard landing and propeller strike. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, observed substantial damage to the engine firewall and buckling of the lower fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he flared the airplane too high, resulting in a hard landing and propeller strike. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall and buckling of the lower fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student pilot - C