What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight involving a student pilot who had recently been cleared by his instructor for his second supervised solo flight. After completing takeoff, the pilot remained within the closed traffic pattern as instructed. During the final approach phase, the pilot misjudged the timing and height of the landing flare.
Attempting to abort the landing, the pilot applied power to execute a go-around maneuver. However, he simultaneously lost directional control of the aircraft. The loss of control resulted in one wing striking the ground, which caused the aircraft to cartwheel across the surface before coming to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the immediate sequence of events leading to the accident. Key findings included the pilot's difficulty in managing the aircraft during the transition from flare to go-around power application. The mechanical condition of the aircraft was not cited as a factor, with the primary issue identified as the pilot's handling during the critical low-altitude phase.
Findings
The primary contributing factor to this accident was the student pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare height and timing. This error necessitated a go-around, during which he failed to maintain directional control while adding power. The combination of these actions led to the ground impact and subsequent inversion of the aircraft.
Safety message
This incident highlights the importance of precise energy management and rudder coordination during go-around procedures, particularly for student pilots who may be under pressure to execute maneuvers correctly after a less-than-ideal landing attempt.