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WPR14CA026

2013-10-23 · Lodi, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 1O3

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's inadequate flare and failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Factual narrative

The solo student pilot reported that as he crossed the runway threshold, the airplane floated, touched down, and bounced a couple of times. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, impacted a small ditch and came to rest inverted. The airplane's vertical stabilizer and right wing were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The solo student pilot reported that as he crossed the runway threshold, the airplane floated, touched down, and bounced a couple of times. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, impacted a small ditch and came to rest inverted. The airplane's vertical stabilizer and right wing were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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.

  • — Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Training-Total instruct/training recvd-Student pilot
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_WPR14CA026.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.