On November 11, 2002, a Champion 7ECA (registration N2557F) was involved in an aviation accident near Faulkton, SD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The directional control not maintained during an after landing taxi on the runway by the student pilot. The student pilot's lack of experience and downhill terrain off the runway were contributing factors. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot on a solo flight veered off the runway during taxiing after landing, causing the aircraft to descend into a gully and sustain substantial damage.
What happened
The incident occurred when an airplane departed the paved surface while taxiing after completing a landing. The aircraft left the runway environment and proceeded downhill, eventually coming to rest in a gully where it nosed over. This sequence of events resulted in substantial damage to the airframe.
The investigation
Review of the flight records indicated that the airplane was being operated by a student pilot conducting a solo flight at the time of the accident. The pilot had accumulated a total of 23.7 hours of flight time, with 5.8 hours logged as solo experience.