Event GAA15CA134

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, in an unregistered amateur built experimental airplane, a crosswind pushed the airplane off the runway to the left. The airplane collided with a rock in a ditch and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, in an unregistered amateur built experimental airplane, a crosswind pushed the airplane off the runway to the left. The airplane collided with a rock in a ditch and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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/instructed pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Debris/dirt/foreign object-Contributed to outcome