The solo student pilot reported that, while practicing a soft field takeoff at the airport in Cortland, N.Y., the Piper PA28 entered into ground effect and drifted left of runway center line.
The plane continued to drift left, hit a snowbank, then landed in the snow adjacent the runway and nosed over.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing.
The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain the runway heading during takeoff, which resulted in impact with a snowbank and a subsequent nose-over.
This December 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
