Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control, and his inadequate remedial action. Factors include soft terrain in the vicinity of the runway.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During the landing roll, the solo student pilot failed to maintain directional control of the aircraft. As the aircraft headed for the edge of the runway, the student pilot attempted remedial action, but was unable to keep the aircraft from running off the side of the runway and nosing over in soft terrain.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 24, 1994, approximately 0755 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 150, N4016U, ran off the runway and nosed over at McMinnville Airport, McMinnville, Oregon. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The solo instructional flight, which departed the same location about 55 minutes earlier, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the accident, the student pilot lost control of the aircraft during the roll-out portion of a touch-and-go landing. As the aircraft headed off the runway, the student pilot attempted remedial action, but was unable to keep the aircraft from running off the runway and nosing over in soft terrain. -