No fatalities

Student Pilot Experiences Runway Excursion During Touch-and-Go Landing (N4308F)

Lancaster, CA, US

On September 10, 1996, a Piper PA-28-140 (registration N4308F) operated by AV Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Lancaster, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: failure of the student pilot to maintain direction control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and subsequent collapse of the nose gear, during an encountered with soft terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot on his second supervised solo executed a touch-and-go landing, veered left after adding power, skidded off the runway into soft terrain, and collapsed the nose gear. No malfunction found.

Event Summary

During a supervised solo flight, a student pilot was performing a touch-and-go landing. The aircraft landed to the right of the runway centerline, prompting the pilot to correct the alignment during the landing roll. After adding power for the takeoff portion of the maneuver, the airplane veered left. The student pilot attempted to steer back to the centerline, but the aircraft began to skid and subsequently departed the runway surface.

Sequence of Events

The incident occurred during what was the student's second supervised solo flight. After touching down right of centerline, the pilot corrected the aircraft's position while continuing the landing roll. Power was then applied to initiate the takeoff climb, at which point the airplane unexpectedly veered left. Despite corrective inputs, the aircraft entered a skid and exited the runway. It then encountered soft terrain adjacent to the runway, causing the nose landing gear to collapse.

Environmental Conditions

Weather conditions were reported as calm winds at the time of the incident. There were no indications of gusty or crosswind conditions that could have influenced the aircraft's directional control.

Aircraft Damage

No pre-accident failure or malfunction of the airplane or its systems was reported. The sole damage noted was the collapse of the nose landing gear after the aircraft entered soft terrain.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 10 Sept 1996 Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lancaster, CA?

A student pilot on his second supervised solo executed a touch-and-go landing, veered left after adding power, skidded off the runway into soft terrain, and collapsed the nose gear. No malfunction found.

Were there any fatalities in the 10 Sept 1996 Piper PA-28-140 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 10 Sept 1996 involved a Piper PA-28-140, registration N4308F, operated by AV Aviation, at Lancaster, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

failure of the student pilot to maintain direction control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and subsequent collapse of the nose gear, during an encountered with soft terrain.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X06773. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.