Event ERA12CA490

Factual narrative

The student pilot stated that he had performed two landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, then elected to perform a full stop landing. During approach for the third landing, he applied left aileron and right rudder control inputs to correct for a left crosswind; however, after touchdown in a three-point landing, the airplane veered left. He attempted to maintain directional control with the rudder, but the airplane continued to the left and departed the runway. He applied the brakes, but the airplane collided with trees and bushes resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. The student pilot had performed two takeoffs and landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane and then elected to perform a full-stop, three-point landing. The student pilot stated that he applied left aileron and right rudder control inputs to correct for a left crosswind during the landing approach; however, after the three-point landing, the airplane veered to the left. He attempted to regain directional control, but the airplane continued off the left side of the runway, where it collided with trees and bushes, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C