What happened
A student pilot was performing the final of several touch-and-go landings at a local airport. During the flare phase of the landing, the pilot observed the aircraft drifting to the right and noted that the left wing was approaching ground contact, resembling a ground loop condition.
In an attempt to maintain flight and prevent the ground loop, the pilot applied full throttle. However, when the aircraft failed to lift off, the pilot closed the throttle and attempted to straighten the aircraft for a landing. The aircraft subsequently contacted the ground and nosed over.
The investigation
The impact caused the gascolator to be compromised, which allowed unregulated fuel to flow into the engine cowling. This led to a postcrash fire that resulted in the total destruction of the airplane. At the time of the accident, weather conditions reported via ATIS indicated winds from 070 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot was not injured.