On September 8, 2000, a Beech B19 (registration N1930W) operated by Hiawatha Avia, Rochester Avia was involved in an aviation accident near Dodge Center, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the student pilot not maintaining aircraft control and the instructor pilot's delayed remedial action. A factor relating to the accident was the ditch. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a touch-and-go, a training airplane ballooned, yawed left, and bounced after touchdown. It veered right of the runway, and despite instructor intervention, the aircraft impacted a drainage ditch, collapsing all three landing gear. The instructor and student were uninjured.
Accident Sequence
The aircraft was conducting a touch-and-go landing when the student flared excessively, causing the airplane to balloon. As the student added power, he failed to compensate for torque, resulting in a left yaw. The student then panicked and pulled back on the yoke. The instructor responded by lowering the nose and leveling the wings. The airplane touched down on the runway but bounced back into the air. It touched down again approximately 20 feet to the right of the runway edge.
Instructor Actions
The instructor began to bring the aircraft to a stop. When a drainage ditch came into view, he realized he would not be able to stop before reaching it. He stated, "I added full power and applied aft yoke pressure to try to get over the ditch (about 12 feet across and 6 feet deep)."
Final Impact
The left main landing gear and nose gear impacted partway up the far side of the ditch. The propeller struck the ground, causing the engine to stop. The aircraft came to rest approximately 10 feet beyond the ditch with all three landing gear separated from the airframe. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The instructor and student were uninjured.