Accident Description
During a flight training session, a student pilot was performing the last of three full-stop landings. The approach was conducted at minimum airspeed. Upon touchdown, the aircraft touched down to the left of the runway centerline. Immediately after, the left main landing gear contacted a snowbank located alongside the runway. This contact resulted in a loss of directional control, and the aircraft subsequently nosed down into the snow.
Statements from Involved Parties
The student pilot reported that the inspection plate located behind the rudder pedals was bent upward. He suggested that this bent plate may have interfered with his left foot as he attempted to steer the aircraft during the landing roll. The flight instructor stated that the left main gear struck the snowbank approximately one second after touchdown.
Pilot Background
The individual operating the aircraft held a private pilot certificate but was restricted to student pilot privileges due to a pending Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical flight review. This restriction was imposed because of defective vision in his left eye.
Conclusion
The event occurred entirely on the ground, with no further details provided regarding aircraft damage or injuries. The investigation did not establish a definitive causal link between the bent inspection plate and the loss of control, as the accident sequence was initiated by the gear striking the snowbank.