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CEN14CA381

2014-07-21 · Greenfield, Indiana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MQJ

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot failed to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.

Factual narrative

The student pilot, who was on his second solo flight, reported that he maintained 68 mph and was on centerline of runway 25 with a slight left crosswind correction as he flared the airplane for landing. After touchdown, the airplane started drifting to the left. He reported that he attempted to correct the drift by applying rudder; however, he applied both the brakes and rudder causing the airplane to veer off the left side of the runway. The propeller impacted the ground, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there was no malfunction or system failure of the airplane before the accident. The recorded wind at the airport was 170 degrees at 4 knots. The student pilot, who was on his second solo flight, reported that he maintained 68 mph and was on centerline of runway 25 with a slight left crosswind correction as he flared the airplane for landing. After touchdown, the airplane started drifting to the left. He reported that he attempted to correct the drift by applying rudder; however, he applied both the brakes and rudder causing the airplane to veer off the left side of the runway. The propeller impacted the ground, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there was no malfunction or system failure of the airplane before the accident. The recorded wind at the airport was 170 degrees at 4 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
  • — Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total experience-Student/instructed pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_CEN14CA381.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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