Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
While performing a soft-field takeoff, the student pilot lost directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. He attempted to correct with the application of rudder and brake inputs but was unsuccessful, and the airplane came to rest upright in a ditch adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.