Incident Overview
On 5 August 2021 at about 1030Z, a student pilot conducted an initial solo flight in a Cessna 172S aircraft, registration ZS-FIA, at Beaufort West Aerodrome (FABW) in the Western Cape province. The flight departed and later landed back at the same aerodrome at approximately 1039Z. Weather conditions were fine at the time of the flight.
Sequence of Events
During the landing roll on Runway 26, the student pilot overheard radio communication between air traffic control (ATC) and another pilot, instructing the other aircraft to orbit while ZS-FIA vacated the runway. The student pilot then decided to apply power to expedite vacating the active runway to accommodate landing traffic behind him. However, the increased taxi speed resulted in a wide turn radius, causing the aircraft to vacate to the left of taxiway C before coming to rest about 40 meters away from the taxiway.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a Cessna 172S, sustained no damage. The student pilot, a 22-year-old male holding a Student Pilot Licence (SPL) and enrolled in an Integrated Course, had a total of 26.2 flying hours, all on this type. He was the sole occupant, and no injuries or fatalities occurred.
Post-Incident Actions
After the incident, the student pilot was debriefed by his instructor and a mentor instructor. Subsequently, he completed 2.4 hours of solo remedial flying without further issues. The student pilot had no prior incidents or concerns before this serious incident.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was that during the landing roll, the student pilot increased taxi speed to expedite exiting the runway, which resulted in the aircraft vacating to the left of the taxiway.