What happened
On 18 May 2018, a student pilot was performing solo touch-and-go landings in a Cessna 152 at the Aérodrome Spa/La Sauvenière. Following a dual instructional flight, the pilot began a series of solo maneuvers under the supervision of an instructor. While the initial maneuvers were successful, the third leg of the circuit ended in an accident.
After touching down on runway 05, the pilot applied full power for the subsequent take-off. During this acceleration, the aircraft drifted toward the left, causing the right main wheel to strike a runway edge light. The aircraft then veered off the concrete surface and onto the grass runway strip. The aircraft briefly became airborne, prompting the pilot to close the throttle. This resulted in a violent landing on the nose gear, which subsequently collapsed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the engine mount, firewall, propeller, and nose landing gear. The pilot escaped the wreckage without injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's mechanical condition and the environmental factors present during the maneuver. A post-accident inspection of the Cessna 152 revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies or damage that could have caused the loss of control.
Meteorological data indicated a 7-knot wind from 330°, representing a light left crosswind relative to the active runway. The investigation also examined the pilot's control inputs and the possibility of aerodynamic phenomena such as wheelbarrowing or improper rudder application during the high-power phase of the takeoff roll.