What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 5/15/2007, at 1315 PDT, zenair CH-2000 aircraft, N363AM, sustained substantial structural damage when it crashed on takeoff from runway 30 at merced macready airport (mce) in merced, CA, during a training flight. Certified flight instructor privacy data omitted, pilot in command, under part 141, simulated an engine failure after takeoff at 100' to 200' AGL during a stage check preparation training flight of a student pilot. After the instructor retarded the power, the student pilot increased the pitch angle and stalled the airplane. The flight instructor attempted unsuccessfully to recover from the stalled condition with power. The aircraft impacted the concrete in a high rate of descent, striking the main landing gear and aft fuselage on the runway surface. The flight instructor taxied clear of the runway at the taxiway and shut down the aircraft. The flight instructor and student were not injured. Inspection disclosed the aircraft sustained structural damage to the fuselage at the horizontal tail, the engine mounts, and the firewall.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 5/15/2007, AT 1315 PDT, ZENAIR CH-2000 AIRCRAFT, N363AM, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WHEN IT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 30 AT MERCED MACREADY AIRPORT (MCE) IN MERCED, CA, DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT. CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PILOT IN COMMAND, UNDER PART 141, SIMULATED AN ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TAKEOFF AT 100' TO 200' AGL DURING A STAGE CHECK PREPARATION TRAINING FLIGHT OF A STUDENT PILOT. AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR RETARDED THE POWER, THE STUDENT PILOT INCREASED THE PITCH ANGLE AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO RECOVER FROM THE STALLED CONDITION WITH POWER. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE CONCRETE IN A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT, STRIKING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND AFT FUSELAGE ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY AT THE TAXIWAY AND SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE NOT INJURED. INSPECTION DISCLOSED THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AT THE HORIZONTAL TAIL, THE ENGINE MOUNTS, AND THE FIREWALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.