On August 7, 2002, at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N1727V, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport (MPO), Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight that originated at Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut, at 0900. No flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to the student pilot, his approach to the landing was uneventful, but upon touchdown, the nose wheel hit the runway first and the airplane porpoised three times before coming to a full stop. The student pilot then taxied back and flew to Sullivan County International Airport (MSV), Monticello, New York, where he landed, then taxied to the ramp to purchase fuel. Upon leaving the airplane, he noticed oil on the cowling and saw that "the nose strut had no give." He called an airframe and powerplant mechanic who took off the cowling and informed him that the nose gear strut had collapsed. The student pilot then contacted his flight instructor, and the next flight was cancelled. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector subsequently performed an examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, the nose strut metering piston was damaged and the attachment bolt was sheared. The firewall was buckled from the bottom to 6 inches above the top of the nose strut, and the nose tire was damaged. The student pilot reported a total of 76 flight hours of flight time. Weather at the airport at the time of the accident included winds from 320 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and a few clouds 8,500 feet.