ATL95LA158

The student pilot was on his second supervised solo flight. During the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left, departed the runway, and collided with a ditch. The student reported that the nose wheel began shimmying during the takeoff, and that he was unable to stop the airplane's drift. According to the instructor, who was observing the takeoff, the student delayed reducing the engine power when the airplane began drifting off of the runway. The owner reported that the nose wheel had been inspected by a mechanic on the same day, prior to the flight. A postaccident examination of the nose gear assembly did not reveal any deficiencies that would have affected its operation prior to the accident.

On August 16, 1995, about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N44784, collided with a ditch during the takeoff roll from the William L. Whitehurst Field, Bolivar, Tennessee. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisionsof 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. A flight plan was not filed for thesupervised, solo, instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Therewere no injuries to the student pilot, and the airplane was substantially damaged.The airplane had departed about 1200 from Jackson, Tennessee.

The student was conducting his second supervised solo flight. He and his instructor had flown from Jackson, Tennessee, to Bolivar, and the instructor had exited the airplane to allow the solo flight. According to the owner of the airplane, the student reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane had a nose wheel shimmy and began veering left. He stated that he was unable to arrest the course departure with right rudder input. A statement from the instructor, who was observing the takeoff, indicated that the rudder was displaced toward the right as the airplane departed the runway. The instructor also stated that the student delayed reducing the power when the airplane began veering off the runway. The owner said that a mechanic had inspected the airplane the same morning, for a previous report of a nose wheel shimmy, and no abnormalities had been discovered. The wind at the time of the accident was reported to be calm.

Following the accident, the airplane was examined by an airworthiness inspector from the Memphis, Tennessee, Flight Standards District Office. He reported that he discovered no discrepancies with the nose landing gear.