What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During landing on runway 10 at Princeton Airport (39N), a student pilot lost control of a/c just before touchdown. A/c went off the left side of runway and damaged both wings, engine mount, prop, nose gear, and forward fuselage area. The pilot had a broken right knee and lacerations on forehead. (.4) the student pilot departed on a solo instructional flight and was on his third approach to the runway. The airplane approached the runway in a nose-high attitude, and struck the tailskid on the ground. The student pilot applied engine power to abort the landing and the airplane veered left and struck the left wing on the ground. Witnesses said the airplane 'cartwheeled' and came to rest facing opposite the direction of travel. The student pilot logged 42 hours of total flight experience. He said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. According to FAA advisory circular AC-61-23C, pilot's handbook of aeronautical knowledge: 'the effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of att ack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path.'
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 10 AT PRINCETON AIRPORT (39N), A STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL OF A/C JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. A/C WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY AND DAMAGED BOTH WINGS, ENGINE MOUNT, PROP, NOSE GEAR, AND FORWARD FUSELAGE AREA. THE PILOT HAD A BROKEN RIGHT KNEE AND LACERATIONS ON FOREHEAD. (.4) THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND WAS ON HIS THIRD APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE, AND STRUCK THE TAILSKID ON THE GROUND. THE STUDENT PILOT APPLIED ENGINE POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT AND STRUCK THE LEFT WING ON THE GROUND. WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE 'CARTWHEELED' AND CAME TO REST FACING OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE STUDENT PILOT LOGGED 42 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. HE SAID THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR AC-61-23C, PILOT'S HANDBOOK OF AERONAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE: 'THE EFFECT OF TORQUE INCREASES IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO ENGINE POWER, AIRSPEED, AND AIRPLANE ATTITUDE. IF THE POWER SETTING IS HIGH, THE AIRSPEED SLOW, AND THE ANGLE OF ATT ACK HIGH, THE EFFECT OF TORQUE IS GREATER. DURING TAKEOFFS AND CLIMBS, WHEN THE EFFECT OF TORQUE IS MOST PRONOUNCED, THE PILOT MUST APPLY SUFFICIENT RIGHT RUDDER PRESSURE TO COUNTERACT THE LEFT-TURNING TENDENCY AND MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT TAKEOFF PATH.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.