What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings during her 6th solo at manassas airport - hef.
Student pilot reduced power to begin the landing descent when ATCT instructed the student pilot to extend downwind because of traffic.
Student pilot became distracted looking for traffic and listening for additional traffic advisories from ATCT.
After extending downwind, ATCT instructed the student pilot to turn onto base leg, which student pilot executed.
Student pilot remained distracted, looking for traffic, and never added power to maintain altitude.
ATCT issued the student pilot a warning for low altitude, but student pilot was still distracted and did not recover power to gain alitude.
Student pilot did not realize her proximity to ground before it was too late to execute a recovery. Contact with trees and crash ensued.
Student pilot stated that aircraft functioned normally during the entire flight.
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS DURING HER 6TH SOLO AT MANASSAS AIRPORT - HEF.
STUDENT PILOT REDUCED POWER TO BEGIN THE LANDING DESCENT WHEN ATCT INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT PILOT TO EXTEND DOWNWIND BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC.
STUDENT PILOT BECAME DISTRACTED LOOKING FOR TRAFFIC AND LISTENING FOR ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ADVISORIES FROM ATCT.
AFTER EXTENDING DOWNWIND, ATCT INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT PILOT TO TURN ONTO BASE LEG, WHICH STUDENT PILOT EXECUTED.
STUDENT PILOT REMAINED DISTRACTED, LOOKING FOR TRAFFIC, AND NEVER ADDED POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.
ATCT ISSUED THE STUDENT PILOT A WARNING FOR LOW ALTITUDE, BUT STUDENT PILOT WAS STILL DISTRACTED AND DID NOT RECOVER POWER TO GAIN ALITUDE.
STUDENT PILOT DID NOT REALIZE HER PROXIMITY TO GROUND BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE TO EXECUTE A RECOVERY. CONTACT WITH TREES AND CRASH ENSUED.
STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT AIRCRAFT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY DURING THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N82587 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.