Flight Sequence
The incident occurred during a student pilot's first supervised solo flight. Having successfully completed his first landing, the pilot initiated a touch-and-go maneuver. While performing this maneuver, he lost directional control. The aircraft veered to the left, departed the runway surface, struck a ditch, and came to rest inverted.
Reported Circumstances
According to reports, the student pilot lost control during the touch-and-go prior to retracting the flaps for takeoff. The precise cause of the loss of directional control was not specified.
Operator's Response
Following the incident, the aircraft operator recommended that flight instructors require students to perform full-stop landings during their initial solo flights. The operator noted that this practice would give students additional time to reconfigure the aircraft for takeoff, including flap retraction.