Piper PA-28-180 N7528W accident near Winter Haven, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a taxiway sign.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight. The pilot arrived at the destination airport, and after an uneventful landing, he planned to practice takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. While on short final approach during the next landing attempt, the pilot contemplated going around as the airplane was not aligned with the runway. He instead continued to approach and attempted to correct the misalignment. While crossing the runway threshold, the airplane was “a little high” and still not aligned along the runway centerline. The pilot reduced the engine power and continued his attempt to align the airplane with the runway using the rudder. The pilot then decided to go around just as the landing gear contacted the runway, adding engine power and pulling back the control yoke. The airplane then veered to the left and departed the runway surface as the pilot reduced the engine power back to idle to stop the go-around attempt. It subsequently collided with a taxiway sign and was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were not preimpact mechanical malfunctions or the failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA311 for the full record.