20100106026539A

I interviewed the student pilot rick dixon on 01-07-2010. Dixon was on a solo practice flight at Ramona Airport. The reported winds were light and variable. Dixon told me his intention was to accomplish several touch and go's at krnm, landing on runway 27. On the first attempt, dixon said he entered the pattern normally from the right down-wind and landed on runway 27 smoothly and on centerline. Dixon said as the landing gear settled to the ground he initially retracted the flaps then added full power. He said that the plane yawed to the left and he added right rudder to correct, and also reduced the throttle setting to approximately half. Dixon told me that he didn't know why he reduced power as he normally did not do that. Dixon said as he corrected the left yaw with right rudder he then added full power again. He said this created even a stronger yaw to the left and his sight picture looked wrong. He said that he was now pointed to the southwest and veering off the south side of the runway. Next he said he pulled the power completely to idle and, since he was departing the runway into the dirt, began applying the brakes. The plane skidded in the mud, the nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft's spinner dug into the soil on the south side of the runway. The spinner digging into the soil and the pilot braking action eventually flipped the plan over on its back where it came to rest inverted.