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Plane crashes after CFI takes controls without telling student

By NTSB · July 13, 2022 ·

The purpose of the flight was to prepare the student pilot for a solo cross-country flight.

After taxiing the Kolb Flyer SS to the end of the runway at the airport in Lutz, Florida, the flight instructor told the student to perform a short field takeoff.

The student pilot told investigators that there was a crowd at the airport café, and the flight instructor stated, “let’s show them what aviation is all about.”

According to the student pilot, the takeoff roll was normal, and as he pulled back on the flight control stick and began to pitch for a best climb attitude, the airplane struggled to fly.

The student then felt back pressure on the control stick and noted that the flight instructor was pulling the stick back more but had not initiated a positive transfer of controls.

The airplane then veered to the left, the flight instructor pitched the nose down, and the airplane struck a berm off the left side of the runway before it “cartwheeled” twice and came to rest.

During the accident the airplane’s left wing and empennage were substantially damaged.

Probable Cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the airplane following an unannounced transfer of flight control during takeoff.

NTSB Identification: 101579

To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.

This July 2020 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

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Comments

  1. C Scherf says

    July 14, 2022 at 10:36 pm

    I had a similar negligent cfi induced crash. While training for a complex rating after twice ballooning on landing at a different airport and not explaining what happened, he took me to another unfamiliar airport with a right traffic pattern I had not done. I asked twice about airspeed no reply then flaps no reply then when we again started to balloon and couldn’t see the runway I asked to do a go around he decided to land it off in a muddy ditch. It was a narrow runway. We survived the plane was totaled after nose gear collapsed and propeller and wing struck.

  2. Tom Curran says

    July 14, 2022 at 8:59 am

    “…the CFI stated “there is no pre-flight for this airplane, you just get in it and go”. “

    That accident, or something similar, was a foregone conclusion.
    What is really disturbing, is his follow-on attempt to disguise the weight & balance discrepancies he knew the FAA would uncover.

    Sounds like he is still out there…

  3. Gordon Gunter says

    July 14, 2022 at 7:31 am

    At least everyone was safe but sadly a black eye for aviation due to a poor instructor and let’s hope he quit instructing.

  4. DC says

    July 14, 2022 at 6:15 am

    Hold my beer and watch this. The CFI survived so there is no Darwin award for him,

  5. Jim+Smith says

    July 14, 2022 at 5:14 am

    Not much of an instructor I guess

  6. Randy Coller says

    July 14, 2022 at 4:49 am

    ….and the flight instructor stated, “let’s show them what aviation is all about.”

    Yep, that’s what aviation is all about, planes cartwheeling on the ground!
    “And that’s what it’s all about.” (to the tune of the Hokey Pokey)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJjgxXCkMYk

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