Incident Overview
On May 19, 2016, at approximately 1320 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Piper PA-28-180 (registration N7781W) was substantially damaged during a landing attempt at Genesee County Airport (GVQ) in Batavia, New York. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight had originated about 1300 from Akron Airport (9G3) in Akron, New York.
Pilot Account
According to the student pilot, he departed from 9G3 and flew to GVQ, where he performed two uneventful touch-and-go landings on runway 28. During a third touch-and-go, he landed uneventfully, retracted the flaps, and added engine power. As the airplane reached rotation speed (approximately 70 mph), he was applying some right rudder when the airplane "pulled hard to the left," which he could not correct with full right rudder. As the airplane approached the left side of the runway, he noted runway signage. Believing that climbing above the signs would result in a safer outcome, he continued the takeoff. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and while attempting to clear the signage, both wings collided with separate signs, breaching both fuel tanks. The pilot continued the takeoff and turned left to land on a nearby road. He observed fuel streaming from the left fuel tank, and the engine lost power. He flew under one set of powerlines and over a second set before landing uneventfully on the road.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airport and airplane. Browning of grass was noted beyond both impacted airport signs and for a short distance past the point where the airplane became airborne. Both fuel tanks were breached and contained no fuel. Flight control continuity was confirmed for all controls. The impacted airport signs had frangible posts.
Weather Conditions
The pilot reported the wind from the north at 8 mph with no gusts. A weather observation taken about 26 minutes before the accident at an airport located about 22 nautical miles east-northeast of GVQ reported wind from 280° at 9 knots.