NASA

I look back and wish I had said something on the comms to make sure we stayed clear of each other, but in the moment I was concerned about getting down and the safety of my student.

When I called in the controller explained that the other aircraft actually reported it as a strike and that after inspecting their plane he found a tire mark on the top of his wing.

Dangerous non-towered operations are common at KSOP and I have so previously reported. Something needs to be done before someone gets killed.

The pilot of the other aircraft got on the radio and said “so you landed while we were still on the runway.” I responded with “Do you know that your beacon and your white light are out, we could not see you.”

I applied brakes to position the aircraft onto the taxiway however it felt like my shoes slipped off the brake and the airplane rolled onto the grassy area.

This is the second near mid-air collision I’ve experienced at this facility within the last three weeks. In the other incident, the controller also admitted 100% fault due to a loss of situational awareness on the east side of the airport.

I trusted Tower to separate me from wake turbulence because this was my second solo and I was focused on learning how to fly solo.

Once the engine quit, I advised Approach I was going to set the plane down on a road in town. It was the only road that had enough lamp posts to where I could actually see the road. I executed the landing with no power.

KAVQ is a very busy airport, with aircraft of widely varying performance. On my approach this day, a Phenom departed, several light aircraft were in closed traffic doing touch and goes, a Cessna 421 was waiting to depart, and another aircraft was inbound on the RNAV 12 approach.