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.
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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.
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.
“…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…
At least everyone was safe but sadly a black eye for aviation due to a poor instructor and let’s hope he quit instructing.
Hold my beer and watch this. The CFI survived so there is no Darwin award for him,
Not much of an instructor I guess
….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