On January 2, 1997, about 1700 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, N1445E, landed hard at the Anderson County Airport, Anderson, South Carolina. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Augusta, Georgia, about 1615, on the same day. The pilot reported that his approach to landing was acceptable, crossing the threshold at 60 knots. At touch down the airplane ballooned, then porpoised three times onto the nose landing gear. The pilot examined the airplane after it had stopped on the runway. The nose gear was bent rearward and the fuselage underside was wrinkled. The pilot also indicated that it was his first flight in a 172, with his prior experience all in a 150. He stated that he received a checkout from the same FBO in a 152 in August 1996. When he rented the airplane for this flight, he was assigned N1445E.