Summary
On November 17, 2007, a Cessna 172N (N3318E) was involved in an accident near Atwater, CA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the sign and the ditch.
This was the student pilot's first supervised solo. After making his second landing and during the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left. An attempt to correct back to the right was unsuccessful, which was followed by the airplane continuing to the left and impacting a runway sign. The airplane continued northwest-bound before impacting a drainage ditch approximately 250 feet from the edge of the runway. The aircraft subsequently turned eastbound and crossed the drainage ditch a second time, which resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear. The airplane came to rest in an upright position with its tail section in the drainage ditch and its right wing tip laying on the ground. The airplane's right wing sustained substantial damage.
This accident is documented in NTSB report SEA08CA030. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3318E.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the sign and the ditch.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
This was the student pilot's first supervised solo. After making his second landing and during the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left. An attempt to correct back to the right was unsuccessful, which was followed by the airplane continuing to the left and impacting a runway sign. The airplane continued northwest-bound before impacting a drainage ditch approximately 250 feet from the edge of the runway. The aircraft subsequently turned eastbound and crossed the drainage ditch a second time, which resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear. The airplane came to rest in an upright position with its tail section in the drainage ditch and its right wing tip laying on the ground. The airplane's right wing sustained substantial damage.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA08CA030