On July 6, 2000, a Cessna 152 (registration N6439M) operated by Sierra Academy OF Aeronautics was involved in an aviation accident near Oakland, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: failure of the instructor to adequately supervise the student, resulting in a loss of directional control. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 16 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During touch-and-go landing practice in variable winds, a student pilot applied left rudder and brake instead of compensating for torque. The aircraft veered off the runway, struck a runway light, and collapsed its nose gear.
Sequence of Events
Touch-and-go landings were being practiced. The winds were variable. After power was added and the airplane was accelerating, the instructor noticed the student was not compensating for torque or crosswind. The instructor prompted the student to add right rudder. The student reacted quickly with left rudder and brake. The instructor pulled power but did not want to make aggressive control inputs due to the airplane's speed. The airplane veered left, departed the runway, and hit a runway light. The nose gear collapsed.
Aircraft Damage
The nose gear collapsed during the event. The aircraft also struck a runway light.