IAD00LA019

The student pilot completed a 1-hour training flight with his instructor, and then departed on his first solo flight. The student pilot stated that he caused the airplane to veer 20 degrees to the left and depart the runway during the landing. The airplane struck a snowbank and continued into a ditch that ran parallel to the runway. The nose wheel settled into the ditch, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The student pilot reported 18 hours of flight experience, and that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. During the autumn months prior to the accident, the State's Agency of Transportation identified the airport for a re-grading project to eliminate the ditch. The project, completed 7 months after the accident, eliminated the ditch hazard.

On February 9, 2000, at 1530 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 172, N8328B, was substantially damaged after colliding with a snow bank and terrain during landing to Runway 20, at the Caledonia County Airport (6B8), Lyndonville, Vermont. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo instructional flight that originated at 6B8, approximately 1520. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

During a telephone interview, the student pilot stated he had completed a 1-hour training flight with his instructor earlier in the afternoon to prepare for his first solo flight. At the completion of the training, his instructor made the required logbook entries and briefed him on the flight. According to the student pilot:

"It was an ideal day. The winds were right up the runway. I flew a good pattern on 20. I came down a little distance into the runway, but with plenty of time to stop. With full backpressure on the yoke, I caused the plane to veer about 20 degrees to the left, so I was facing the snow bank. In this instance, the plane veered to the left at full landing speed, about 70 to 80 miles per hour."

According to the student pilot, the snowbanks were approximately 3 feet tall and lined both sides of the runway. The airplane departed the runway and collided with a snowbank. The airplane continued into the snowbank and the nose wheel settled into a ditch that was buried beneath the snow. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The student pilot said:

"The state has a 3 to 4 foot ditch running parallel to the runway and the ditch was filled with snow. I've been flying there for two years, so I knew the ditch was there. The nose wheel entered the ditch and the airplane went slowly over onto its back."

In a written statement, the flight instructor described the training flight prior to endorsing the student pilot for his solo. He said the student performed six landings during the flight without assistance. In describing the accident flight, he said:

"Aircraft made slightly high stabilized approach to runway 20 at normal airspeed - about 75 IAS, flaps 20 degrees, flared, slight bounce, nose stayed high, landed, nose came down as aircraft veered to left approximately 30 degrees and departed runway. Plowed through 30 [inch] snowbank, nosewheel and left main dropped into ditch and nosed over to about 45 degrees past vertical. Engine stopped in process."

According to the flight instructor, "Surface winds [at 6B8] from 180-190 [degrees] at 5-6 knots, no gusting observed. Occasional light turbulence at pattern altitude." Winds reported at Montpellier, Vermont, 34 miles southwest of 6B8 were from 250 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 14 knots.

The student pilot reported 18 hours of total flight experience, all of which was in the Cessna 172.

The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. When asked to describe the performance and handling of the airplane, he replied, "Excellent. It's a well prepared and equipped plane."

During the autumn months prior to the accident, the State's Agency of Transportation identified the airport for a re-grading project to eliminate the ditch. The plan was drawn up during the winter of 1999/2000 and funded in July 2000. The project, completed in September 2000, completely eliminated the ditch hazard.