What happened
The aircraft overran the departure end of the runway and collided with an embankment during an aborted takeoff. The student pilot did not file a flight plan or check the weather for this flight. The weather was VMC but the pilot started the takeoff down wind. The pilot initiated the abort when he discovered he was going downwind and was at rotational speed.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the pilot did not check the weather prior to the flight. The aircraft was operating in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The pilot initiated the abort at rotational speed, having realized the aircraft was tracking downwind.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to take off downwind and the lack of pre-flight weather check. The pilot did not file a flight plan. The aircraft sustained damage from the collision with the embankment.
Safety message
Pilots should always check the weather and file a flight plan before departure. Takeoffs should be conducted into the wind whenever possible to ensure adequate performance.