Event GAA18CA232

Factual narrative

The manager at the flight school reported that, during a training flight, the student allowed the airplane to drift to the right of the runway centerline on approach. He added that, the flight instructor reminded the student to remain on the centerline, but as the airplane flared for landing it continued to drift to the right of the centerline. The student applied full right rudder, the airplane "yawed and banked to the left", the instructor initiated a go-around, but the right main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. Subsequently, the flight instructor continued the go-around and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The manager at the flight school reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The manager at the flight school reported that, during a training flight, the student allowed the airplane to drift to the right of the runway centerline on approach. He added that the flight instructor reminded the student to remain on the centerline, but as the airplane flared for landing it continued to drift to the right of the centerline. The student applied full right rudder, the airplane "yawed and banked to the left," the instructor pilot initiated a go-around, but the right main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. Subsequently, the flight instructor continued the go-around and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The manager at the flight school reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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 Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Heading/course-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Sign/marker-Contributed to outcome