| Crash location | 36.780278°N, 76.448889°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Norfolk, VA
36.846815°N, 76.285218°W 10.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N32002 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 14 May 2014 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-28-151 |
| Additional details: | None |
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.
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.