NTSB Factual Report

On July 30, 2004, at 1830 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N105PD, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a landing attempt on runway 17 (4,500 feet by 60 feet, dry asphalt) at the Sublette Flying Club Airport (19S), Sublette, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The student pilot reported minor injuries. The solo-instructional flight departed 19S at 1825.

The accident occurred during the student pilot's first solo flight. The pilot stated she had flown with her flight instructor just prior to the accident flight and had practiced emergency procedures, go-arounds, takeoffs and landings. The pilot reported that five successful landings were completed with her instructor aboard. The pilot stated that the local winds resulted in a five knot left crosswind. The pilot stated her flight instructor then deplaned to allow her to fly solo.

The pilot reported that she flew a left traffic pattern for runway 17 and while on final approach had to "compensate with right rudder" for the crosswind. The pilot stated the airplane touched-down a few feet off the runway centerline with a "very slight bounce." The pilot reported the airplane "veered to the right" and that she was "unable to apply left rudder in time to keep [the airplane] from going off the runway." The pilot stated the right main landing gear contacted soft terrain and the airplane nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition, and her failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Factors contributing to the accident included the student pilot's unsuccessful recovery from the bounced landings and the soft terrain conditions.