On February 24, 1996, at 1022 central standard time, a Cessna 172P, registered to A T E of Florida, Inc., and piloted by a student pilot, received substantial damage while landing on runway 28 (4,751' x 75' dry asphalt) at DuPage Airport, West Chicago, Illinois. The pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file for the local flight. The flight departed at 1000. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector interviewed the pilot who stated he lost control of the airplane during the flare and landed hard on the nose landing gear. This was his first solo flight outside the airport traffic pattern in this airplane. An examination of the airplane failed to reveal any mechanical anomalies with the airplane which would have contributed to the accident. The airplane landed on runway 28. The winds were recorded as 250 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots 23 minutes after the accident.