What happened
The accident occurred during a solo training flight where the low-time student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings. During the landing roll portion of one such maneuver, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, causing it to depart the runway surface. The pilot reported that he was in the process of resetting the carburetor heat and flap settings when the loss of control happened.
The aircraft came to rest after nosing over in snow-covered grass adjacent to the runway. At the time of the incident, the pilot was dealing with a 10-knot crosswind from the left side. The specific aircraft involved in this incident was N12345.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor leading to the accident was the pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll. Contributing factors included the operational environment, specifically the snow-covered grass surface which likely reduced tire traction and braking effectiveness. Additionally, the 10-knot crosswind from the left presented a challenging condition for maintaining runway centerline alignment while managing aircraft systems.
The pilot's actions of resetting carburetor heat and flaps during the critical phase of the landing roll may have diverted attention or delayed necessary rudder inputs to counteract the crosswind. The student pilot was not injured in the incident, but the aircraft sustained significant damage due to the nose-over event.
Safety message
Pilots should prioritize maintaining directional control and runway centerline alignment during touch-and-go landings, especially in crosswind conditions. System adjustments such as carburetor heat or flap retraction should be performed only when it is safe to do so without compromising aircraft control. Pilots must be aware that snow-covered surfaces significantly reduce braking efficiency and directional stability.