What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On or about October 5, 2020, at approximately 1240 EDT, a 1978 Cessna 172N, a fixed-wing single-engine airplane bearing the registration of N739UE (sn: 17270810), sustained minor damage after going off of the left side of runway 27 following an aborted takeoff at Elkhart municipal airport (ekm) in Elkhart, IN. privacy data omitted Inc is the registered owner of N739UE. privacy data omitted Was the pilot-in-command (PIC) of N739UE and stated that the intended flight's purpose was to practice touch and go landings. According to the PIC, he was conducting this flight under the provisions of title 14 of the code of federal regulations (14 CFR) part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the following is the weather observation from ekm near the time of the incident:
METAR kekm 051750Z 21008KT 10SM clr 14/04 A3021 rmk AO2=
The PIC, a student pilot, was the aircraft's sole occupant when the incident occurred and did hold a valid solo endorsement from a certified flight instructor. The PIC stated that after he landed on runway 27, he added full power to perform a touch and go. When he applied the power, the PIC said that the airplane began turning to the right. To correct the righthand turn, the PIC applied left aileron. After the aileron input, the PIC recalled that he momentarily regained directional control. The PIC then stated that the airplane began to turn hard to the left. At that point, the PIC decided to abort the takeoff. He pulled the power to idle and applied brakes in an attempt to stop the plane. The aircraft continued to veer to the left and eventually went off the side of the runway. As the aircraft continued, it impacted a runway light with the left main landing gear strut. Shortly after the impact, the plane came to a stop, and the PIC did exit the aircraft without further incident.
The PIC stated that he remembered that he did not reconfigure the airplane for takeoff before adding the power to execute the touch and go. The PIC noted a left to right crosswind was present at the time of landing, but he couldn't remember if he was holding the proper crosswind control inputs. This inspector coulnseld the PIC on the importance of maintaining directional control of the aircraft during takeoffs and landings. We also discussed techniques for landing in a crosswind. This inspector did make contact with the pic's primary flight instructor. The flight instructor stated that the aircraft is part of a flying club. The club has a policy that says if a pilot is involved in an incident, that pilot must undergo training with an instructor before they are allowed to solo the aircraft again. The flight instructor said that he would be the one providing the PIC with the instruction.
As the FAA filed it
ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 5, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1240 EDT, A 1978 CESSNA 172N, A FIXED-WING SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE BEARING THE REGISTRATION OF N739UE (SN: 17270810), SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AFTER GOING OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 27 FOLLOWING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF AT ELKHART MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (EKM) IN ELKHART, IN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INC IS THE REGISTERED OWNER OF N739UE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) OF N739UE AND STATED THAT THE INTENDED FLIGHT'S PURPOSE WAS TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, HE WAS CONDUCTING THIS FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (14 CFR) PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND THE FOLLOWING IS THE WEATHER OBSERVATION FROM EKM NEAR THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT:
METAR KEKM 051750Z 21008KT 10SM CLR 14/04 A3021 RMK AO2=
THE PIC, A STUDENT PILOT, WAS THE AIRCRAFT'S SOLE OCCUPANT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND DID HOLD A VALID SOLO ENDORSEMENT FROM A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE PIC STATED THAT AFTER HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 27, HE ADDED FULL POWER TO PERFORM A TOUCH AND GO. WHEN HE APPLIED THE POWER, THE PIC SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. TO CORRECT THE RIGHTHAND TURN, THE PIC APPLIED LEFT AILERON. AFTER THE AILERON INPUT, THE PIC RECALLED THAT HE MOMENTARILY REGAINED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PIC THEN STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO TURN HARD TO THE LEFT. AT THAT POINT, THE PIC DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE PULLED THE POWER TO IDLE AND APPLIED BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE PLANE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND EVENTUALLY WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED, IT IMPACTED A RUNWAY LIGHT WITH THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT. SHORTLY AFTER THE IMPACT, THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP, AND THE PIC DID EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
THE PIC STATED THAT HE REMEMBERED THAT HE DID NOT RECONFIGURE THE AIRPLANE FOR TAKEOFF BEFORE ADDING THE POWER TO EXECUTE THE TOUCH AND GO. THE PIC NOTED A LEFT TO RIGHT CROSSWIND WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME OF LANDING, BUT HE COULDN'T REMEMBER IF HE WAS HOLDING THE PROPER CROSSWIND CONTROL INPUTS. THIS INSPECTOR COULNSELD THE PIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. WE ALSO DISCUSSED TECHNIQUES FOR LANDING IN A CROSSWIND. THIS INSPECTOR DID MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PIC'S PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS PART OF A FLYING CLUB. THE CLUB HAS A POLICY THAT SAYS IF A PILOT IS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT, THAT PILOT MUST UNDERGO TRAINING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR BEFORE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO SOLO THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT HE WOULD BE THE ONE PROVIDING THE PIC WITH THE INSTRUCTION.