FTW96LA014

During the takeoff roll on runway 17, approximately 800-900 feet, the student pilot 'looked down at the airspeed indicator and lost attention to direction of [the] plane.' After approximately 300 feet the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The student pilot 'forgot to cut the power [and] tried to steer back onto the runway;' however, the airplane continued to the southeast and came to rest in a drainage ditch.

On October 9, 1995, at 1720 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N73357, registered to, and operated by West Houston Aero Club, Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control during a takeoff roll at Sugar Land Municipal Airport, Sugar Land, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for unsupervised solo flight. The student pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

A witness who observed the takeoff roll, reported that, he saw the airplane "veer about 45 degrees left and exit the runway surface." The aircraft crossed the grass median, crossed the parallel taxiway, and came to rest 100 yards past the parallel taxiway on "its left wing in a nose low attitude."

The student pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Report that, during takeoff roll on runway 17, approximately 800- 900 feet, he "looked down at the airspeed indicator and lost attention to direction of [the] plane." After approximately 300 feet the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. He further reported that, he "forgot to cut the power [and] tried to steer back onto the runway;" however, the airplane continued to the southeast and came to rest in a drainage ditch.

An examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector revealed that, the elevator was damaged, the horizontal stabilizer was twisted, and the left main landing gear was bent up.