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CHI91LA080

1991-01-20 · EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport EAU

N94647 has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (MACAIR MERLIN GT, built 1994), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS INITIAL SOLO ENDORSEMENT AFTER PERFORMING SIX CROSSWIND TOUCH AND GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR. UPON COMPLETION OF FOUR SOLO TOUCH AND GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS THE STUDENT BEGAN HIS FIFTH TAKEOFF ROLL. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TURNING TO THE LEFT; THE STUDENT PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT AILERON (DUE TO A LEFT CROSSWIND) AND RIGHT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TURNING LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH A SHALLOW SNOWBANK WHICH PARALLELED THE RUNWAY EDGE AND NOSED OVER AFTER TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 8 FEET THROUGH THE SNOW AREA. THE COLLISION WITH THE SHALLOW SNOWBANK COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT WING. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI91LA080.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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