Introduction
On December 11, 2013, at 1105 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-22-108, registration N5386Z, nosed over and impacted runway 24 during landing at Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport (OSC), Oscoda, Michigan. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing and wing strut. The student pilot was uninjured. The aircraft was registered to CAT Flight Training LLC and operated by an individual doing business as Comprehensive Aviation Training under 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the supervised student solo flight, which originated from OSC at 1010.
Flight Sequence
The flight instructor, who was also the operator, reported that a Flight Service Station weather briefing was obtained at 0905. The instructor and student pilot departed Iosco County Airport (6D9) at 0915 and flew to OSC. The instructor released the student for his second supervised solo at 0950 after a weather check. The instructor stated that the winds were 250 degrees at 10 knots, with similar forecasts from MBS International Airport (MBS) and Alpena County Regional Airport (APN).
The student pilot reported that during his first solo approach at OSC, he listened to the OSC Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), which reported winds from 270 degrees at 11 knots, gusting 18 knots. He noted that the winds were 250 degrees at 10 knots at departure. The landing had a normal touchdown, but a second or two later the right wing lifted. The student observed the nose veer left and applied right rudder. The airplane began to veer more left and started to nose over. He applied full right aileron, but the airplane continued to nose over and impacted the runway surface.
Weather
The Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) for APN, 38 nautical miles northwest, issued at 0820 and valid from 0800 to 0700 the next day, indicated temporary conditions from 0800 to 1000 with wind 270 degrees at 11 knots, gusting 18. The TAF for MBS, 62.6 nautical miles south-southwest, issued at 0632, showed wind 270 degrees at 14 knots, shifting to 290 degrees at 15 knots after 1100.
OSC AWOS recordings:
- 0954: wind 240 degrees at 11 knots
- 1013: wind 260 degrees at 12 knots
- 1034: wind 260 degrees at 15 knots, gust 19 knots
- 1054: wind 270 degrees at 15 knots, gust 21 knots
- 1113: wind 270 degrees at 13 knots, gust 22 knots
One weather briefing was provided to the student pilot on December 10, 2013, for a training flight departing from 6DY to OSC. Lockheed Martin Flight Services did not provide a briefing for N5386Z on December 11, 2013.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-22-108, N5386Z, sustained substantial damage to the wing and wing strut. The operator reported no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane.
Outcome
The student pilot was uninjured. The investigation did not determine a probable cause.