N918KT
Line Up and Wait
I'm just curious, could a student pilot still have an accident on his/her first solo? And if they occur, how often do first solo accidents occur?
I'm just curious, could a student pilot still have an accident on his/her first solo? And if they occur, how often do first solo accidents occur?
I'm just curious, could a student pilot still have an accident on his/her first solo? And if they occur, how often do first solo accidents occur?
I'm just curious, could a student pilot still have an accident on his/her first solo? And if they occur, how often do first solo accidents occur?
Thanks for the responses guys. I guess I should have worded my question differently. I know that first solo accidents can happen. What I was really wanting to ask was how often do first solo accidents occur, and what could be the causes of first solo accidents, like if the CFI says the student pilot was ready, but freezes up on the first solo for example.
Once upon a time, we were at a shop where the University aircraft were maintained. A pretty little Cessna 152 was there with a curled prop, mashed up landing gear, and a banged up wing and fuselage. What happened, we asked. Seems that the student pilot was on a first solo. Prior to this flight, the student had been practicing touch and goes with the instructor - as was the practice at this field. However, for the first solo, the instructor wanted the student to land, taxi back, and takeoff. First time around and first landing, the student landed, pushed in the throttle for a touch and go and was into ground effect when the instructor screamed into the hand held that the student should land, not touch and go. Student pulled back on the power, nosed down, bounded onto what was left of the runway, lost control, careened down an embankment and stopped in a ditch. She soloed again and soon had her license. Don't know what happened to the instructor or the sweet little C-152.
Probably the greatest cause will be excess speed on final from using already high numbers that some CFIs use for landing/final and then subtracting the instructors weight from the flight which in most trainers is a considerable portion of useful load leaving the state of energy far to high for landing leading to porpoising and bouncing on landings which without either a go around, or deft handling (which the first solo student isn't typically capable of) will end up with a collapsed nose gear and prop strike along with probable firewall damage.
like if the CFI says the student pilot was ready, but freezes up on the first solo for example.
This has been kicking around for a while... textbook stuff.Landed a little hot, don't you think? Plane wasn't ready to land, so he tried to force it down. A go-around might have been a better choice.
If your thinking of an accident happening as opposed to the thrill of flying solo,you probably aren't ready yourself,you should discuss this with the instructor.
Thanks for the responses guys. I guess I should have worded my question differently. I know that first solo accidents can happen. What I was really wanting to ask was how often do first solo accidents occur, and what could be the causes of first solo accidents, like if the CFI says the student pilot was ready, but freezes up on the first solo for example.
I'm just curious, could a student pilot still have an accident on his/her first solo? And if they occur, how often do first solo accidents occur?
Happens. But not very often.
The Cessna 150 I few a while ago had been damaged when a student pilot on his/her/its' first solo "panicked" and landed in a plowed field instead of on the runway.
Thanks for the responses guys. I guess I should have worded my question differently. I know that first solo accidents can happen. What I was really wanting to ask was how often do first solo accidents occur, and what could be the causes of first solo accidents, like if the CFI says the student pilot was ready, but freezes up on the first solo for example.
Depends on what you define as rare. In the AOPA's data base since May of 2013 there were at least 2.I can speak only from my own experience, of course, but none of my students had accidents on their first solo flights, and no students from the other four branches of the flight school had first-solo accidents either. IMHO they are extremely rare.
Bob Gardner
As the FAA has proven the accidents on first solo reflects upon the CFIsI can speak only from my own experience, of course, but none of my students had accidents on their first solo flights, and no students from the other four branches of the flight school had first-solo accidents either. IMHO they are extremely rare.
Bob Gardner
"It"? You mean you have met a transsexual pilot?
Landed a little hot, don't you think? Plane wasn't ready to land, so he tried to force it down. A go-around might have been a better choice.
It would have gone OK if he wasn't flying an airplane with a nosewheel.
of course an accident can happen on a first solo - it can happen anytime. I have no idea what the stats are. But, here's an example of one...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6raTmX6USTo
This guy took a little time after the accident but eventually got his PPL.
You do everything you can to prepare students for everything that could go wrong during their first solo. After that you hope like hell nothing goes wrong.
Gotta love that homemade stop sign, spray painted on the road!
Couldn't afford to put up a real one huh
I have...
It's good to see some in aviation embracing another lifestyle.