Accident Overview
A student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings when the accident occurred. The wind conditions were calm at the time. During the landing, the pilot inadvertently positioned the airplane near the left edge of the runway. While continuing the landing roll, the pilot did not correct the airplane back to the runway centerline before adding power for takeoff.
Sequence of Events
Soon after the pilot added power for takeoff, the airplane departed the left side of the runway. The airplane continued over uneven terrain for approximately 900 feet before the pilot was able to bring it to a stop. During the excursion, the nose landing gear strut collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall.
Aircraft Systems
Examination of the airplane's nose wheel steering and rudder system revealed no evidence of any anomaly or malfunction. The systems were operational at the time of the accident.