Skip to content

GAA19CA114

2019-01-27 · Anchorage, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MRI

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's overcorrection with rudder during the landing and her subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion, impact with a snowbank, and a nose-over.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that, on her first solo flight, during the second touch and go, shortly after touchdown, the airplane "started sliding" to the right. She over corrected with "excessive" left rudder, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, impacted a snowbank, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that, on her first solo flight and during a second touch-and-go landing, shortly after touchdown, the airplane "started sliding" right. She added that she overcorrected with "excessive" left rudder. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, impacted a snowbank, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The student 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

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Rudder control system-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Snow/ice-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA19CA114.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (runway excursion). All research papers