NTSB Factual Report

On October 29, 2002, at 1458 central standard time, a Cessna 172, N848SP, sustained substantial damage when it veered left off of runway 13 (4,115 feet by 150 feet, asphalt) at the St. Paul Downtown Holman Field Airport (STP), St. Paul, Minnesota, and hit a runway sign before coming to a complete stop. The student pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was practicing touch and goes on a local training flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed.

The student pilot reported that after the fourth touch and go landing, the right pedal began to stick and caused a sharp turn to the right. Initially, he could not get pedal un-jammed so he applied left rudder. He reported he "lost control" of the airplane while using the right rudder to center the airplane. He reported that he pulled the power out and applied brakes. The airplane hit a runway sign and the airplane went into a skid. The student pilot had 28 total flight hours and one hour of pilot-in-command time.

The reported winds at STP were 080 degrees at 4 knots.

A Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector examined the airplane and reported that no preexisting mechanical defects were found on the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot failed to maintain directional control. A factor was the runway sign.