What happened
During a solo flight intended for private pilot license training, a student pilot experienced an accident while performing a series of take-off and landing maneuvers. The session began with eight touch-and-go operations under the dual supervision of an instructor. Following this, the instructor monitored the student from the ground via radio as the student attempted four additional solo landings.
Weather conditions during the session were characterized by strong, gusty winds aligned with the runway, which eventually shifted into a left crosswind. After an initial unstable approach led to a go-around, the student attempted a fourth approach. During this final landing, the aircraft veered to the left of the runway. As the student applied power to initiate a go-around, the aircraft drifted off the paved surface and onto the grass. The left wingtip dragged along the runway, and the aircraft subsequently rolled over a ditch before impacting the opposite side with its nose down.
The investigation
SHK examined the sequence of maneuvers and the environmental conditions present during the training. The investigation focused on the transition from dual control to solo operations and the impact of the shifting wind direction. Investigators analyzed the aerodynamic forces acting on the aircraft, specifically noting the influence of the propeller's slipstream and P-factor during the period when the aircraft veered off the runway.
Findings
The primary cause of the accident was the student's diminished ability to manage an unexpected situation due to fatigue, resulting from performing ten consecutive take-off and landing cycles in heavy, gusty winds. This exhaustion likely impaired the pilot's ability to maintain control during the final approach.
Several contributing factors were identified:
- The presence of strong, gusty winds that transitioned from a headwind to a left crosswind.
- The student's limited experience operating the aircraft under such challenging weather conditions.
- Aerodynamic effects, including the P-factor and propeller slipstream, which assisted the aircraft in veering left.
- The pilot's overcorrection of flight controls during the low-speed phase of the landing.