What happened
During the final phase of flight, the aircraft was attempting to land on runway 13. The solo student pilot reported that the rudder became blocked, rendering him unable to maintain directional control of the airplane. As a result of this loss of control, the aircraft drifted off the left side of the runway. Upon leaving the paved surface, the left wing struck and impacted a Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) light assembly.
The investigation
Following the incident, an examination of the aircraft was conducted by the operator to determine the mechanical cause of the rudder blockage. The inspection did not reveal any physical blockage or other anomalies within the flight control system that would explain the pilot's report. Environmental conditions at the time included a wind from 090 degrees at 13 knots.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the student pilot's inability to control the airplane due to a reported rudder blockage during the landing roll. Although the operator's inspection found no mechanical faults, the event resulted in damage to the aircraft and the ground-based lighting infrastructure.