What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student pilot was on a student solo performing touch-and-go landings. The student had completed seven (7) of the eight (8) touch-and-go landings that he was required to do. The student was in the midst of executing the final take-off when this event occurred. The student pilot stated that the aircraft had just rotated from the surface of the runway and was approximately three (3) to five (5) feet in the air when a few birds were encountered. The student pilot stated that the birds flew across the aircraft's windshield at which point he decided to abort the take-off. He moved the throttle to the idle position and attempted to land the aircraft on the remaining available runway. However, as the aircraft returned to the surface the student pilot stated that he lost control of the aircraft. The student pilot stated that the aircraft veered off the runway to the left and proceeded to cross the grass and the taxiway then came to stop in a ditch next to the taxiway.
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A STUDENT SOLO PERFORMING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. THE STUDENT HAD COMPLETED SEVEN (7) OF THE EIGHT (8) TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS THAT HE WAS REQUIRED TO DO. THE STUDENT WAS IN THE MIDST OF EXECUTING THE FINAL TAKE-OFF WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURRED. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST ROTATED FROM THE SURFACE OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE (3) TO FIVE (5) FEET IN THE AIR WHEN A FEW BIRDS WERE ENCOUNTERED. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THE BIRDS FLEW ACROSS THE AIRCRAFT'S WINDSHIELD AT WHICH POINT HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKE-OFF. HE MOVED THE THROTTLE TO THE IDLE POSITION AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON THE REMAINING AVAILABLE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, AS THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE SURFACE THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT AND PROCEEDED TO CROSS THE GRASS AND THE TAXIWAY THEN CAME TO STOP IN A DITCH NEXT TO THE TAXIWAY.
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 N17304 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.