DA20-C1 Eclipse
Flight Crew Student
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 26; Flight Crew Total 26; Flight Crew Type 26
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Human Factors
I was flying my first solo. I took off and began my pattern (crosswind; downwind; base and final). I approached my final leg at 60 KTS with full flaps. I landed before the first large white blocks on the runway on the center line. I landed on the main gear; then lowered the nose. It shook (nose wheel) so I pulled up slightly; then pushed the stick forward so shaking stopped. The plane veered to the left. I failed to pull the throttle to idle- it was slightly above idle on landing. I attempted to slow the plane with the brakes but I believe my feet were on the rudder and not high enough on the pedal to hit the brakes. I left the runway into a flat; level grassy area and was headed toward the ramp. I focused on steering the plane toward the ramp and let friction slow the plane at that point. The propeller was cutting some of the higher grass along the way. I then entered the paved ramp area and shut down the plane. I walked the entire route where the plane went through the grass. There were no hard surfaces that I drove through. Most of the grass was ankle high and some patches of grass were about a foot high. I inspected the plane after I shut it off. There was visible green marks on the propeller and some of the leading edge appeared to separate from the propeller. I had no injuries and there were no injuries to others and no damage to any property.
I am a CFII. I sent my student on his first solo flight. Our Part 141 syllabus requires the student to complete one half hour in the local traffic pattern solo. [We] had completed the required training for the solo and he had received all endorsements; training; and pre solo written exam. Prior to this day we had flown three days in a row that were supervised solo's with instruction given on the ground upon our return. The student was eager and ready to make the flight; and I had not been given any reason to doubt the safe completion of the flight. Conditions for the day were clear skies 10 miles visibility and winds from the south west at 5 knots. The winds were favoring Runway XX; therefor it was in use. [The student] was instructed to do 3 full stop landings and was taxiing out to Runway XX for departure after dropping me off at the FBO to monitor from the ground. The student had a great takeoff with excellent directional control. The climb out and pattern flown was to standards and the communications were exceptional. The approach to landing was just as we had practiced. During his roll out to a stop [the student] took a sudden sharp turn to the left and ran off the runway into the grass. There was no obstruction or gusts to explain the reaction. [The student] rolled through the grass in the runway safety area and up onto the taxi way coming to a complete stop. After assuring the student was ok I asked what had caused him to make such a rash control input; the student replied that he wasn't exactly sure what had happened. My best guess is the student freaked out and had an involuntary response which he couldn't recover from. The aircraft suffered a prop strike from the grass which he rolled through as well as a nose wheel getting bent slightly.
DA20 student pilot and the observing CFI reported that upon landing during a solo flight the aircraft turned sharply and departed the runway.