Incident Overview
A student pilot conducting solo instructional practice experienced a runway excursion during a touch-and-go landing. The incident occurred on the third landing of the session when the aircraft veered to the right upon touchdown, departed the runway surface, and nosed over in soft soil.
Post-Crash Findings
Examination after the accident revealed that the parking brake was partially engaged. This condition locked the right wheel, compromising directional control during the landing roll.
Pilot Statement
The student pilot reported that she had not used the parking brake at any point before or during the flight. The brake's partial engagement therefore appeared to be unintentional or due to a mechanical issue not related to her actions.
Sequence of Events
The student was practicing touch-and-go landings as part of her solo instructional flight. After two successful landings, the third approach and touchdown were conducted normally until the aircraft began to veer right. The pilot was unable to correct the deviation, and the airplane exited the runway onto soft ground, where it nosed over.
No other aircraft or personnel were involved, and the extent of damage to the airplane was not specified. The investigation focused on the parking brake as the likely cause of the loss of control.
Contributing Factors
According to the source, the parking brake being partially set was the direct cause of the right wheel locking, which led to the veer. No other factors were identified or mentioned.