N317ME

On March 7, 2004, about 0830 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172S, N317ME was substantially damaged while landing at Bay Bridge Airport (W29), Stevensville, Maryland. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The student pilot reported that she had completed 14 hours of instructional flight, and was performing her first solo flight. She landed on runway 29, a 2,903-foot long, 60-foot wide, asphalt runway. The student pilot then attempted a second landing at W29. While on final approach, the student pilot noted that the airplane was right of the runway center. She corrected with left rudder; however, the airplane veered sharply left upon touchdown. While trying to regain control, the student pilot inadvertently relaxed the back pressure on the yoke, which caused the propeller to strike the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway, traveled through a ditch, and came to rest upright in a grass area.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector observed damage to the propeller, nose gear, and firewall.

The reported wind at an airport approximately 20 miles northwest of the accident site, at 0854, was from 270 degrees at 10 knots. The student pilot stated that at the time of the accident, the winds were light and variable.