N217AT – MATHIS MELVIN R BUSHBY MUSTANG II – 2010-04-08 NTSB Accident Report

On April 08, 2010, a Mathis Melvin R BUSHBY MUSTANG II (N217AT) was involved in an incident near Apple Valley, CA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The CFI's inability to overcome the improper control inputs of the private pilot, who was handling the flight controls, which resulted in their loss of directional control during landing.

The certified flight instructor (CFI) had previous experience flying the experimental, homebuilt, model of airplane. He offered to provide the prospective airplane purchaser with a familiarization flight that included stalls and landings. The CFI demonstrated a couple of stalls to the student, who held a private pilot certificate and a tail wheel endorsement. Thereafter, landings were practiced. The CFI reported that he was monitoring the pilot's performance while the pilot was handling the controls. The CFI stated that the pilot's first landing was not satisfactorily performed, and the pilot almost lost control of the conventional gear airplane during rollout. The pilot's second approach and 3-point touchdown appeared satisfactory.

This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR10CA204. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N217AT.