Event ERA26LA023

Factual narrative

The accident takeoff was the student pilot’s second solo flight lesson. She reported that the airplane began to climb with difficulty from the 8,001 ft-long runway, while the airspeed was increasing. She checked the cockpit instrumentation, and everything appeared normal, except the altitude and airspeed. She further described having difficulty pitching the airplane up and it struck trees at the end of the runway. Review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data revealed that the airplane was traveling at 100 kts groundspeed just prior to the collision with trees. The airplane came to rest in a marsh, upright and partially submerged. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Further examination of the wreckage revealed that the flaps were near the 15° extended position, and the elevator trim was near the full nose-down position. Based on this information it is likely that the combined position of the elevator trim resulted in the student pilot’s difficulty controlling the airplane’s pitch during initial climb. 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).

• — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Elevator tab control system-Incorrect use/operation
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained