What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Full trim on the citabria aircraft can be activated very quickly, almost instantly. The pic/cfi and student were flying a simulated "elevator out" approach which is part of U.S. Forest service pilot training. The student had flown this approach the day prior but was "a little rough".
The student was flying the aircraft with no stick inputs, essentially using throttle and trim only for pitch.
At about 50' above ground level the PIC called for the intended go-around, but the student became confused and very quickly added full "nose down" trim instead of the "nose up trim" the situation called for.
The trim took effect so quickly that the aircraft nosed over into the ground before the PIC could do anything to prevent it. The PIC stated "there wasn't anything I could do".
As the FAA filed it
FULL TRIM ON THE CITABRIA AIRCRAFT CAN BE ACTIVATED VERY QUICKLY, ALMOST INSTANTLY. THE PIC/CFI AND STUDENT WERE FLYING A SIMULATED "ELEVATOR OUT" APPROACH WHICH IS PART OF U.S. FOREST SERVICE PILOT TRAINING. THE STUDENT HAD FLOWN THIS APPROACH THE DAY PRIOR BUT WAS "A LITTLE ROUGH".
THE STUDENT WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO STICK INPUTS, ESSENTIALLY USING THROTTLE AND TRIM ONLY FOR PITCH.
AT ABOUT 50' ABOVE GROUND LEVEL THE PIC CALLED FOR THE INTENDED GO-AROUND, BUT THE STUDENT BECAME CONFUSED AND VERY QUICKLY ADDED FULL "NOSE DOWN" TRIM INSTEAD OF THE "NOSE UP TRIM" THE SITUATION CALLED FOR.
THE TRIM TOOK EFFECT SO QUICKLY THAT THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER INTO THE GROUND BEFORE THE PIC COULD DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT IT. THE PIC STATED "THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I COULD DO".
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