What happened
The incident occurred when the airplane touched down on a runway covered with packed snow. Immediately upon contact with the surface, the aircraft began to jerk or jar toward the left side. The student pilot responded by applying back pressure on the controls, which successfully lifted the nose and allowed the airplane to become airborne again briefly.
However, as the aircraft settled back onto the runway, it continued to veer significantly to the left. Despite the pilot's application of full opposite rudder input to correct the yaw, directional control could not be maintained. The aircraft ultimately impacted a snow bank located on the side of the runway and came to rest in a nose-over attitude.
The investigation
A review of the event revealed that no mechanical malfunction was reported or identified during the examination of the incident. The failure appeared to be related to environmental conditions rather than equipment failure.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the loss of directional control during landing on a slippery surface. The pilot's inability to counteract the leftward veer despite full opposite rudder input highlights the challenges of operating in winter weather conditions.