Summary
On July 14, 2019, a Cessna 172 (N35585) was involved in an incident near Elkton, FL. 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 pilot under instruction's failure to follow the flight instructor’s directions and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
The flight instructor reported that he had demonstrated a simulated engine failure and recovery at altitude to the pilot-under-instruction (PUI), and he subsequently asked the PUI to perform a simulated engine failure and recovery. Operating over an open field, the flight instructor allowed the pilot to descend over the field, and he recalled instructing the pilot to "Recover" and abort the landing about 200ft AGL.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA19CA412. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N35585.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot under instruction's failure to follow the flight instructor’s directions and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that he had demonstrated a simulated engine failure and recovery at altitude to the pilot-under-instruction (PUI), and he subsequently asked the PUI to perform a simulated engine failure and recovery. Operating over an open field, the flight instructor allowed the pilot to descend over the field, and he recalled instructing the pilot to "Recover" and abort the landing about 200ft AGL. Failing to do so, the flight instructor came on the controls about 50 knots airspeed and about 100ft AGL, the airplane stalled, collided with the ground, and subsequently nosed over.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the engine mounts.
The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA19CA412