MIA05CA048

The pilot stated that he had received his private pilot's licence a few weeks prior and had not flown much. He stated that during the accident flight, he had asked his certified flight instructor to accompany him for a pleasure flight. The pilot further reported that he was the pilot flying the approach and that the wind was coming from 040 at an estimated speed of 13 to 15 knots. During the landing flare/touchdown the airplane yawed to the left, and while rolling down the runway, the left main gear departed the surface. He said the flight instructor added full power, the aircraft lifted off, turned abruptly to the right, and departed off the right side of the runway, striking a fixed distance marker, and coming to rest in a ditch.

On January 4, 2005, about 1315 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172SP, N365SP registered to London Ashley, Inc. and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, veered off the runway while landing at the Clewiston Airglades Airport, Clewiston, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The private-rated pilot-in-command and commercial-rated flight instructor received no injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Pompano Beach, Florida, the same day, about 1230.

According to the pilot, he had asked the flight instructor to accompany him for a pleasure flight. The pilot had not flown for a couple of weeks and the instructor had trained the pilot in preparation for his private pilot rating. The private pilot was the pilot flying the approach to land on runway 13 and reported that the wind was from 040 at about 13 to 15 knots. While on short final the aircraft yawed to the left due to a strong crosswind and the pilot said he was unable to make the corrections needed to land straight. As the aircraft was rolling down the runway, the left main gear departed the runway surface and the flight instructor took control of the aircraft and added full power. The aircraft lifted off slightly, turned abruptly to the right, departed the runway at a 45-degree angle, struck a runway distance marker, and settled once again on its landing gear prior to hitting a ditch.