Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was practicing forward slips to a landing for his private pilot check ride, which was scheduled for the following day. He performed a no flap landing and when he applied the brakes, the airplane turned to the right, and departed the runway surface. The airplane collided with rocks about one foot high. The nose wheel separated, and the left wing sustained substantial damage.
Source record
Factual narrative
The student pilot was practicing forward slips to a landing for his private pilot check ride, which was scheduled for the following day. He landed flaps up, and was rolling down the runway. As he applied the brakes, the airplane turned to the right, and departed the runway surface. The airplane collided with a winrow of rocks about a foot high. The nose wheel was knocked off, and the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot had a total time of 130 hours with 39 hours as pilot-in-command.