When a student pilot was faced with adverse weather during a solo cross-country flight, he decided to return to the airport in Statesboro, Georgia.
Key Takeaways
- The student pilot faced challenges during landing due to weather and an oncoming aircraft.
- Panic contributed to the pilot’s inability to manage power and braking effectively.
- The accident resulted in significant damage to the aircraft and a runway excursion.
Upon his approach for landing, another airplane was observed on the opposite runway, heading straight towards him.
In an effort to avoid a collision, the student veered right and landed on the remaining runway.
Unfortunately, panic set in, and he was unable to reduce power and apply sufficient braking in time.
As a result, the Cessna 172 exited the runway, descended an embankment, and collided with an airport perimeter fence, causing significant damage to the left wing.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated and determined the probable cause to be the student pilot’s failure to adequately manage power and braking after landing, leading to a runway excursion and subsequent impact with objects and terrain.
You can download the NTSB’s final report by clicking here. It will create a PDF download straight to your device.
The National Transportation Safety Board has released an accident report for October 2021, which is aimed at providing pilots with an educational resource to learn from the mistakes of others.
