Flight Details
The flight departed from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and proceeded to Immokalee Regional Airport. A student pilot, accompanied by a certified flight instructor (CFI), performed three successful touch-and-go landings on runway 27. After the third landing, the CFI deplaned. The student pilot then departed from the same runway and remained in the traffic pattern, executing eight additional touch-and-go landings.
Accident Sequence
During the final approach for the ninth touch-and-go landing, the student pilot reported hearing a helicopter pilot announce an intention to fly over runway 27. The student pilot announced on the common traffic advisory frequency that he had the helicopter in sight and intended to perform a touch-and-go landing. The student pilot landed, and after touchdown during the landing roll, he applied full throttle before retracting the flaps. The airplane began to drift to the left, and the right wing rose. The student pilot reduced the power to idle, applied aft control yoke, and waited for the airplane to come to rest. The CFI, observing from the ground, reported seeing the helicopter flying in a southerly direction; it flew directly overhead the airplane while it was on the runway during the landing roll. The CFI noted that the student pilot did not retract the flaps and that the airplane veered sharply to the left, then cartwheeled, coming to rest upright. The operator reported no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the airplane. A postaccident inspection revealed damage to the firewall.