NTSB Factual Report

On July 28, 2005, at 1502 Pacific daylight time, a Grumman American Aviation Corporation AA-1B, N9861L, was substantially damaged when it departed the runway, impacted a sign and nosed over at Grove Field Airport, Camas, Washington. The solo student pilot received minor injuries. The owner was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was the student pilot's second solo, and he was practicing touch-and-go landings at the time of the event. He initiated the flight at 1420; the flight conditions were visual meteorological conditions. The pilot had not filed a flight plan.

The pilot said that he was landing on runway 25, and that the wind was out of the north at 10 knots. He said that immediately after touch down, the wind gusted from 20 to 30 knots. He reported that his right wing was lifted up and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The pilot said that the left wing impacted a sign and the airplane nosed over. He reported that the vertical stabilizer was bent, the left wing had several ribs bent, and the canopy was broken.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing roll. A contributing factor was the gusty cross-wind weather condition.