Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff, which resulted in a bounced landing and impact with the airport’s windsock.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The solo student pilot of the airplane reported that shortly after rotation, the airplane began to drift to the left of runway centerline. He tried/attempted to correct back to runway centerline, but the airplane continued to drift left. The airplane descended and landed hard. It bounced back into the air and impacted the windsock. The airplane came to rest upright inside the windsocks segmented circle. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, aft fuselage, right horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.