Student Pilot Collides with Trees and Power Lines After Runway Excursion (N46451)

Accident Sequence

A student pilot was practicing landings at the airport. He planned to land on runway 25 and depart on runway 07 due to terrain and runway slope considerations. He reported the winds as from 050 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. On his first attempted landing, he executed a go-around. He then made a full stop landing on runway 25 and took off from runway 7. On his third approach, he landed on runway 25 with full flaps. As the airplane slowed, it began drifting to the right. While correcting, he felt the nose wheel "skid/shimmy." Approximately halfway down the runway at 35 knots, the airplane departed the right side of the runway. At that point, he decided to abort the landing. He re-entered the runway with approximately 150 yards of pavement remaining and rotated at approximately 50 knots with 30 yards of asphalt remaining. During the initial climb after takeoff, the airplane collided with trees and power lines.

Runway Examination

Examination of the runway determined that the airplane veered about 80 feet off the runway into a dirt area. The airplane lifted off approximately 270 yards from the airport boundary fence. The first set of power lines was less than 0.25 mile from the runway.