What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
CFI accompanying (non-certiicated) student pilot on initial night flight; student was sole manipulator of the controls throughout lesson;
Excessively low altitude on final approach was not detected by CFI and continued giving verbal instructions to the student
CFI indicated he never took physical control of aircraft
Student may have misinterpreted the verbal command of "power" from the instructor to imply reducing -- rather than increasing -- power
Instructor stated he did not establish visual reference with illuminated attitude indicator
VASI information from the a/fd pescribed a 3 degree glide path
Flaps remained retracted throughout approach pattern
Instructor stated airspeed on final approach was 85 mph
Aircraft impacted trees on final approach and settled about 200 feet left of centerline, and 300 yards from the threshold
As the FAA filed it
CFI ACCOMPANYING (NON-CERTIICATED) STUDENT PILOT ON INITIAL NIGHT FLIGHT; STUDENT WAS SOLE MANIPULATOR OF THE CONTROLS THROUGHOUT LESSON;
EXCESSIVELY LOW ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH WAS NOT DETECTED BY CFI AND CONTINUED GIVING VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE STUDENT
CFI INDICATED HE NEVER TOOK PHYSICAL CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT
STUDENT MAY HAVE MISINTERPRETED THE VERBAL COMMAND OF "POWER" FROM THE INSTRUCTOR TO IMPLY REDUCING -- RATHER THAN INCREASING -- POWER
INSTRUCTOR STATED HE DID NOT ESTABLISH VISUAL REFERENCE WITH ILLUMINATED ATTITUDE INDICATOR
VASI INFORMATION FROM THE A/FD PESCRIBED A 3 DEGREE GLIDE PATH
FLAPS REMAINED RETRACTED THROUGHOUT APPROACH PATTERN
INSTRUCTOR STATED AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH WAS 85 MPH
AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES ON FINAL APPROACH AND SETTLED ABOUT 200 FEET LEFT OF CENTERLINE, AND 300 YARDS FROM THE THRESHOLD
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.