Piper PA-28-151 N32002 accident near Norfolk, Virginia

Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot had accumulated about 11 hours of total flight experience and had just completed a solo takeoff and landing uneventfully. The student pilot reported that following the landing, he taxied the airplane for another takeoff attempt on the 4,057-foot-long, 70-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the takeoff attempt, the airplane yawed left and the student pilot tried to correct with right rudder input; however, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck parked construction equipment. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the nosegear, left wing, and firewall. She did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane, nor did the student pilot report any. The recorded wind at the airport, at the time of the accident, was a left crosswind at 6 knots.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14CA240 for the full record.