The student pilot said there was a mild crosswind on final approach to the airport in Mesquite, Texas. The crosswind “picked up” before the Cessna 172 as it touched down left of centerline.
He retracted the flaps and advanced the throttle to continue the touch-and-go. The airplane continued to drift to the left and the left main landing gear exited the runway onto the grass.
The pilot closed the throttle and elected a straight path in the grass instead of risking an over-correction.
The airplane came to a stop when the nose landing gear collapsed. The firewall sustained substantial damage.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the student pilot failing to maintain directional control during the touch-and-go landing and during the subsequent aborted takeoff during crosswind conditions.
NTSB Identification: CEN13CA450
This July 2013 accident report is are provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
