The Student pilot was on her first solo flight, performing touch and goes on Runway 17. During her first landing, she began her flare “too early, bounced hard and ballooned.” The airplane bounced a second time and went off the left side of the runway. The right landing gear impacted a runway sign as the pilot attempted to abort the landing. Reported winds were 180 degrees magnetic at 10 knots with no gusts.
January 3, 2007, Alton, Ill., Cessna 172S
The Student pilot was on her first solo flight, performing touch and goes on Runway 17. During her first landing, she began her flare too early, bounced hard and ballooned. The airplane bounced a second time and went off the left side of the runway. The right landing gear impacted a runway sign as the pilot attempted to abort the landing. Reported winds were 180 degrees magnetic at 10 knots with no gusts.
Key Takeaways:
- During her first solo landing, a student pilot flared too early, causing a hard bounce and ballooning.
- The aircraft bounced a second time and veered off the left side of the runway.
- The right landing gear impacted a runway sign as the pilot attempted to abort the landing, with reported winds at 180 degrees magnetic at 10 knots.
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