LAX06LA032

The airplane veered off the runway and collided with a dirt bank during a touch-and-go. The student pilot was on his first supervised solo, and was the only occupant in the airplane. The entire flight was uneventful until touchdown. The main landing gear of the airplane touched down first, followed by the nose gear. After the nose landing gear touched down, the student pilot noted a vibration and continued the touch-and-go. After he raised the flaps the vibration intensity increased and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The student's instructor witnessed the entire flight and he reported that everything was normal until the airplane suddenly veered left off the runway and hit a berm. He also stated that the dual instructional flight leading up to the student's solo was completely normal, with no mechanical abnormalities noted with the airplane. The nose landing gear was sheared off

History of flight

On November 13, 2005, about 1000 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172R, N23899, veered off the runway and impacted terrain while landing at Ramona Airport (RNM), Ramona, California. Pinnacle Aviation Academy was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local instructional flight departed Ramona about 0950. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system coordinates of the primary wreckage were 33 degrees 02.20 minutes north latitude and 116 54.54 minutes west longitude.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the student pilot stated that he was performing his first solo flight at the time of the accident. The student pilot and the Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) departed Palomar airport about 0900 to practice touch-and-go's at RNM. The third landing was a full stop landing. The student and CFI taxied to the base of the air traffic control tower where the CFI exited the aircraft to observe the student for his first solo. The CFI briefed the student on a go-around maneuver, and instructed the student to perform two touch-and-goes and one full stop landing. The CFI entered the tower and the student taxied for takeoff on runway 27.

The student was issued a clearance for left closed traffic, and took off for the first touch-and-go. The student noted no abnormalities throughout the traffic pattern, and made a normal approach to the runway. The main landing gear touched down first; there was no bounce. When the nose wheel touched down, the student noted a vibration in the airplane and it began to veer to the left. When the student retracted the flaps the vibration worsened. The airplane continued to veer left, exited the side of the runway and impacted a mound of dirt, and came to rest on its nose. The student secured and exited the airplane.

The CFI also submitted a written statement. He observed the entire accident sequence and commented that the flight looked normal until the accident on the runway. After he arrived on scene he noted the nose wheel was sheared off, and the airplane was up on its nose.

Personnel information

The operator reported that the pilot held a combined student pilot and aviation medical certificate. The pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on October 18, 2005. It had no limitations or waivers.

The operator reported that the student pilot had a total flight time of 26.6 hours, all of which were in the accident aircraft make and model.

Aircraft information

The airplane was a Cessna 172, serial number 17280992. The operator reported that the airplane had a total airframe time of 3,249.6 hours at the last 100-hour inspection. The airplane's logbook contained an entry for service performed on November 2, 2005. The log entry included maintenance on the nose gear shims, shimmy rod, shimmy dampener O-rings, and the nose gear bolt. Only a ground run was performed after the maintenance was completed.

Meteorological information

The closest official weather observation station was Ramona (RNM). The elevation of the weather observation station was 1,401 feet mean sea level. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for RNM was issued at 0953. It stated: no winds; visibility 10 statute miles; skies; temperature 25 degrees Celsius; dew point -02 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.12 inHg.

Airport information

The Airport/ Facility Directory, Southwest U. S., indicated that RNM runway 27 was 5,001 feet long and 150 feet wide. The runway surface was asphalt.