LAX00LA096

The student pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. No discrepancies were noted with the first two touch-and go's. On the third landing he had already engaged carburetor heat, applied full throttle, and raised the flaps when he noted that he was right of centerline. He indicated that he tried to steer the airplane like a car with the control yoke back to centerline instead of using the rudder pedals. The airplane departed the runway and the right wing struck bushes, spun around, and came to a stop. The pilot reported that he had 30 hours total time in all aircraft. He noted no discrepancies with the airframe or engine.

On February 7, 2000, at 1130 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172N, N739GQ, veered off the runway during the takeoff portion of a touch-and-go, and impacted trees at the Bermuda Dunes, California, airport. The airplane, operated by Bermuda Dunes Air Services as an instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the solo instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated at 1100, and was scheduled to terminate at the same airport.

In the student pilot's written report to the Safety Board he stated that he had been practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. No discrepancies were noted with the first two touch-and-go's. On the third touch-and-go landing, he raised the flaps, applied full throttle, and engaged the carburetor heat. He noted that he was right of centerline and tried to steer the airplane back onto the runway. The right wing struck a tree limb, turned the airplane 90 degrees, the left wing stuck the ground, and came to a stop. The pilot further indicated that he has a total time of 30 hours in all aircraft, and that there were no discrepancies with the airframe or powerplant.

In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the student pilot reported that as the airplane continued to the right he attempted to steer the airplane like he was driving a car by using the control wheel instead of the rudder pedals. When he realized his mistake, it was too late to correct it because the airplane had already impacted bushes, spun around, and had come to a stop. He shut the engine down and exited on the right side because the left side door had been jammed shut when the left wing impacted the ground.