On January 16, 1995, at 1600 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N739RN, collided with a ditch following a loss of directional control while landing at the Huntsville Airport North, in Meridianville, Alabama. The student pilot had minor injuries, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by Cowell Aviation, Inc. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, solo-instructional flight. The flight originated at 1545. The student pilot was performing his initial solo flight. He entered the traffic pattern to practice touch and go landings. During the first landing, he lost directional control of the aircraft. The aircraft veered off the left side of the runway, and collided with a ditch. The aircraft then flipped over, resulting in structural damage to the airframe.