Primary finding
Probable cause
the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout, which resulted in a ground swerve. Soft terrain on the shoulder of the runway was a related factor.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
When the student pilot first attempted to land, during his third supervised solo cross-country flight, the airplane had excessive altitude and airspeed, so he made a go-around. The pilot successfully touched down on the runway during his next attempt. However, during rollout, the airplane veered left, and the student corrected by applying pressure to the right rudder and/or brake. The airplane then swerved right, went off the side of the runway, entered soft mud on the shoulder, and nosed over.
Source record
Factual narrative
On October 17, 1996, at 1615 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N48728, operated by Anglo American Aviation, El Cajon, California, nosed over during landing rollout at the Imperial County Airport, Imperial, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the student pilot's third supervised solo cross-country flight. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Twentynine Palms, California, at 1400. The student pilot's flight instructor (CFI) reported he interviewed his student several hours after the accident. According to the CFI, the student indicated when he first attempted to land on runway 32, the airplane had excessive altitude and airspeed, so he made a go-around. The pilot touched down on the runway during his next attempt. During rollout, the airplane veered left and the student corrected by applying pressure to the right rudder and/or brake. Thereafter, the airplane swerved right, and the student indicated he attempted to maintain directional control. The nose gear assembly bent, and the airplane veered off the side of the runway, entered the soft mud shoulder, and nosed over. The student pilot provided a written statement in which he indicated that during the landing rollout he was not able to keep the airplane on the centerline of the runway, and it initially veered left. The student reported that when he "tried to compensate to the right," the airplane departed the runway. -