Student Pilot Grounds Aircraft During Touch-and-Go After Crosswind Drift

Accident Sequence

The student pilot reported that during final approach, a mild crosswind was present. Just before touchdown, the crosswind intensified, causing the airplane to drift left of the runway centerline. The pilot then retracted the flaps and advanced the throttle to abort the landing and continue with a touch-and-go maneuver.

As the airplane continued its drift to the left, the left main landing gear departed the paved surface onto the adjacent grass. At that point, the pilot reduced the throttle and opted to maintain a straight path on the grass rather than risk an over-correction back toward the runway.

The airplane came to a stop when the nose landing gear collapsed during the ground roll on the grass.

Damage

The firewall sustained substantial damage as a result of the nose gear collapse.