GAA15CA104

Factual narrative

According to the student pilot, he was practicing touch and go landings on his fifth solo flight. Two landings were completed on a runway with a direct headwind, but on the third landing air traffic control instructed him to land on an adjacent runway with a crosswind. The student pilot reported that he touched down with an appropriate crosswind technique, but during the landing roll the airplane began swerving to the left and he lost directional control. Subsequently, the nose gear collapsed on the runway and the airplane came to rest upright on its nose and right wing. The reported winds at the airport about the time of the accident were from 110 degrees true at 16 knots, and the runway heading was 170 degrees. The student pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. According to the student pilot, he was practicing touch and go landings on his fifth solo flight. Two landings were completed on a runway with a direct headwind, but on the third landing air traffic control instructed him to land on an adjacent runway with a crosswind. The student pilot reported that he touched down with an appropriate crosswind technique, but during the landing roll the airplane began swerving to the left and he lost directional control. Subsequently, the nose gear collapsed on the runway and the airplane came to rest upright on its nose and right wing. The reported winds at the airport about the time of the accident were from 110 degrees true at 16 knots, and the runway heading was 170 degrees.      The student pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and firewall. 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-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation - C