What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During a supervised solo flight, the aircraft touched down on runway 10 and departed the runway to the left while the pilot was trying to retract the flaps. Once off of the runway, the student pilot did not apply brakes because his flight instructor had told him not to apply brakes if the airplane started to skid. The student pilot incorrectly intrepreted this to include situations where the aircraft departed the runway. The aircraft traveled parallel to the runway on the north side, for approximately 700' (with no brake application) before turning left 90 degrees and coming to a stop in a ditch. The impact with the ditch and a utility pole bent the left wing spar, and crumpled the fire wall at the engine attaching points.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING A SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 10 AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT WHILE THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. ONCE OFF OF THE RUNWAY, THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT APPLY BRAKES BECAUSE HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD TOLD HIM NOT TO APPLY BRAKES IF THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO SKID. THE STUDENT PILOT INCORRECTLY INTREPRETED THIS TO INCLUDE SITUATIONS WHERE THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY ON THE NORTH SIDE, FOR APPROXIMATELY 700' (WITH NO BRAKE APPLICATION) BEFORE TURNING LEFT 90 DEGREES AND COMING TO A STOP IN A DITCH. THE IMPACT WITH THE DITCH AND A UTILITY POLE BENT THE LEFT WING SPAR, AND CRUMPLED THE FIRE WALL AT THE ENGINE ATTACHING POINTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.