Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4; Flight Crew Total 939; Flight Crew Type 79
Training / Qualification
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Human Factors
I was landing on a clear morning with light winds from the south (my left). My approach speed on final was about 72 KTS with two notches of flaps. I had a bounced landing and tried to recover and save it in lieu of a go-around.  The yoke was a bit 'sticky' and I began to porpoise and left the runway to the right. The aircraft taxied down a gentle side slope and slowed to 5 to 8 KTS before coming to the bottom of the slope and sticking the nose wheel in a soft muddy ditch.  The prop struck the mud and tall grass and the engine stopped. The nose gear was pushed backwards into the firewall causing two wrinkles in the lower portion of the firewall and some slight floor damage (1' push toward the rear of the aircraft) and about a 1/2 inch upward 'saddle' of the outer skin. No structural damage was done to the aircraft and none was done to the nose gear. The prop sustained a nick about 1/4 deep about 5/8 inches from one tip.We removed the plane from the ditch by manually lifting the nose gear and inserting plywood under it and we did the same with the main gear then slowly towed it forward up the slope and back onto the RWY.No damage was done to RWY lights or other airport property.
C172 pilot reported minor damage resulted from a runway excursion following loss of directional control during landing roll.