The trainee pilot was conducting circuits on Runway 29R at Bankstown in a Cessna 152. Late on final approach, she judged the airspeed as being too fast and selected full flap to slow the aircraft. She then saw that the aircraft was descending below the desired approach path and added power to correct. As the aircraft crossed the threshold, the pilot reduced power to idle and lowered the nose, but then decided to execute a go around. However, before power could be re-applied, the main landing gear struck the runway heavily and the aircraft bounced. The aircraft then pitched nose down, landing on the nosewheel, before bouncing once again.
The pilot later reported that the force of the bounce had caused her right hand to rapidly increase the throttle setting just as the aircraft began to pitch nose down, accelerating the descent and causing the aircraft to land heavily on the nose wheel. The pilot closed the throttle but the aircraft continued to oscillate in pitch, bouncing alternately on the main landing and nose gears. The propellor struck the runway numerous times before the nose gear partially collapsed. The aircraft came to rest approximately 150 m after the initial touchdown, after crossing the left edge of the runway.