On September 14, 1997, at 1045 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N61913, landed hard on runway 25R at the Long Beach, California, airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local solo instructional flight that originated from Long Beach at 0900. The student pilot was endorsed for a solo flight in the pattern. She stated that the aircraft ballooned slightly on landing. During the recovery, the nose gear struck hard and the nose tire deflated. The student pilot reported that after the landing was completed, she cleared the active runway and received clearance from a ground controller to taxi to the parking area. The accident was reported to the Safety Board on October 9, 1997, following discovery of damage to the firewall. There were no reported mechanical problems.