Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was departing on her third solo flight. During the takeoff the airplane began drifting to the left and the pilot attempted to correct with right rudder application. The pilot said that it then felt as if the airplane encountered a gust of wind that pushed it to the left off the runway and into the grass. The airplane’s left wing struck a runway approach light and was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.