Incident Overview
A student pilot conducting a touch-and-go landing on runway 24 experienced a loss of altitude during the takeoff sequence. Witnesses observed the aircraft descending before the student turned it toward an area beyond a line of trees west of the airport. The subsequent crash landing resulted in damage to the aircraft.
Witness Accounts
Multiple witnesses reported that the aircraft began losing altitude shortly after initiating the takeoff roll. The student pilot then maneuvered the aircraft away from the runway, heading toward a wooded area west of the airport boundaries.
Post-Accident Examination
An inspection of the aircraft following the incident revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to a tank that contained no usable fuel. Investigators found that several gallons of fuel remained in the opposite tank, indicating that fuel was available but not selected.
Operational Context
The student pilot had received approval from air traffic control to perform a touch-and-go landing on runway 24. The sequence involved landing, rolling out, and immediately applying power for takeoff without a full stop.