On January 12, 1997 about 1021 eastern standard time, N48693, a Cessna 152, was substantially damaged when the nose gear collapsed during a hard landing on runway 27at Marlboro Airport, Marlboro, New Jersey. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The local training flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. A witness saw the airplane takeoff, remain in the traffic pattern and then return to land. According to the witness; "...I noticed that he came in a little fast, but the aircraft appeared to be under control at this , time: wings level and no over-controlling. He touched down on the two numbers, and bounced 10 feet into the air. The aircraft then pitched down and hit on the nose, and bounced again, but only about 5 feet up this time. The aircraft again pitched nose down and hit the pavement. On this contact, the nose gear broke off, and the (airplane) skidded on its nose for about 50 feet and came to rest . The aircraft came to rest about midway down the runway." According to the student pilot, his approach speed was 65 knots, and about 20 feet above the runway, he reduced power to idle. The aircraft subsequently "settled fast" and bounced. He unsuccessfully tried to recover, indicating that he "got rigid on (the) control wheel position" The pilot reported the accident could have been prevented by doing a go-around.