What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight involving a student pilot who was conducting practice maneuvers. The pilot had accumulated approximately 14 hours of total flight time, which included 1.7 hours of solo experience. At the time of the accident, the pilot was practicing solo touch-and-go operations.
During one such maneuver, the pilot observed a helicopter hovering in close proximity to the runway. Concerned that the helicopter might fly over the runway, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. In the process of aborting, the pilot lost control of the airplane. The aircraft swerved off the runway and collided with the hovering helicopter approximately 100 feet north of the runway edge.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the collision. It was determined that the pilot's decision to abort the takeoff was a direct response to the presence of the hovering helicopter. The loss of control occurred during this aborted maneuver, resulting in the aircraft leaving the runway surface and impacting the helicopter.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's loss of control during the aborted takeoff. The proximity of the hovering helicopter prompted the abort decision, but the execution of the abort led to the loss of aircraft control. The collision with the helicopter was a direct result of this loss of control.
Safety message
Pilots practicing touch-and-go maneuvers should remain vigilant for other air traffic, particularly helicopters, which may operate in close proximity to runways. Abort decisions must be executed with careful attention to maintaining aircraft control to prevent secondary incidents.