This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
My student was on his first solo flight while during his last landing he thought he was touch and go. I saw him touch down then raise the flaps, at that point I radioed to him full stop.
I did not hear him add power, but he said he did for another touch and go, then upon hearing me he took the power out and preceded to stop.
He locked down the brakes, the skid mark begins at the 1,000 foot marker on the other end of the runway. He was harder on the right brake than the left, which caused him to skid off the right side of the runway, which led him to strike a taxiway light with the propeller. The skid caused the right main landing gear tire to lose air and come off the rim. Then came to a complete stop.
Primary Problem as determined by an ASRS analyst: Human Factors.
Solo was all full stop, back taxi, process the next take off, reconfigure, takeoff. If the instructor is not watching, he is not doing the student justice. Agree that the radio was used while a very busy time in the cockpit for a solo student.
About all that can be said is it was pretty stupid on the part of the instructor. What was the instructor doing communicating with the student anyway? When I soloed I saw my instructor standing outside watching my 7 touch and goes and full stop (he told me to do 6 or 7), although I know he was unaware that I saw him. When he realized I was doing my full stop he disappeared inside the terminal, thinking I wouldn’t know he had been watching. That’s what a solo is, a solo.
Plan and brief what you want the student to do prior to taxi. Last second instructions via radio? Not the best plan.
At the very least, tell him via radio while on downwind or base, giving him time to process the instruction.
Couldn’t agree more. A student’s first solo is not the time or place for dealing with unknowns and changing requirements. Plenty of time later for jumping through those hoops and checking off those boxes.
First solo flight is not a good place for touch and goes.
Brief full stop and taxi back to me (CFI) If I see a problem I can stop the solo.
If all looks good as expected I can wave them on.
At an uncontrolled airport I’d wait near a mid field taxiwsy while completing the logbook solo end o tenement. Certificate endorsed when I exited with the students logbook.
Saving time can wait for later flights.
You called him at the wrong time. On downwind, maybe, or let him do the mistaken touch-and-go, but calling a stud on a high-speed landing rollout? No a good idea.