What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While performing short field takeoff with student pilot, instructor pulled left engine mixture to simulate an engine loss at approximately 25KTS. As aircraft veered to the left, student pulled throttles to idle and returned aircraft to centerline. Following this, instructor reportedly returned mixture to full rich and student began short field takeoff again. Student reported that as he put throttles forward, aircraft veered swiftly to the right and he applied the brakes to stop aircraft. Aircraft departed runway before he could get aircraft stopped, which resulted in minor damage to the aircraft.
Following incident, aircraft flight continuity was checked ok. Engine control continuity was checked ok. Brake pressure appeared normal. Repair facility ran both engines with no anomalies noted prior to changing right engine due to prop strike. Left brake pads were changed and brake caliper were changed during maintenance visit following incident but these did not appear to contribute to the incident.
Interviews with the instructor and student revealed that the instructor stated he called for and took the controls as the aircraft veered to the right. Student did not recall instructor doing this. Interviews also revealed that after completing the aborted takeoff, no time was taken to ensure aircraft operation and runway distance were adequate prior to continuing with the short field takeoff. No positive communication took place between the instructor and student to confirm aircraft performance to include viewing engine instrumentation was done by instructor or student prior to or during second short field takeoff attempt.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE PERFORMING SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF WITH STUDENT PILOT, INSTRUCTOR PULLED LEFT ENGINE MIXTURE TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE LOSS AT APPROXIMATELY 25KTS. AS AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, STUDENT PULLED THROTTLES TO IDLE AND RETURNED AIRCRAFT TO CENTERLINE. FOLLOWING THIS, INSTRUCTOR REPORTEDLY RETURNED MIXTURE TO FULL RICH AND STUDENT BEGAN SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF AGAIN. STUDENT REPORTED THAT AS HE PUT THROTTLES FORWARD, AIRCRAFT VEERED SWIFTLY TO THE RIGHT AND HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY BEFORE HE COULD GET AIRCRAFT STOPPED, WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
FOLLOWING INCIDENT, AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTINUITY WAS CHECKED OK. ENGINE CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CHECKED OK. BRAKE PRESSURE APPEARED NORMAL. REPAIR FACILITY RAN BOTH ENGINES WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED PRIOR TO CHANGING RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO PROP STRIKE. LEFT BRAKE PADS WERE CHANGED AND BRAKE CALIPER WERE CHANGED DURING MAINTENANCE VISIT FOLLOWING INCIDENT BUT THESE DID NOT APPEAR TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INCIDENT.
INTERVIEWS WITH THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT REVEALED THAT THE INSTRUCTOR STATED HE CALLED FOR AND TOOK THE CONTROLS AS THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. STUDENT DID NOT RECALL INSTRUCTOR DOING THIS. INTERVIEWS ALSO REVEALED THAT AFTER COMPLETING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF, NO TIME WAS TAKEN TO ENSURE AIRCRAFT OPERATION AND RUNWAY DISTANCE WERE ADEQUATE PRIOR TO CONTINUING WITH THE SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. NO POSITIVE COMMUNICATION TOOK PLACE BETWEEN THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT TO CONFIRM AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE TO INCLUDE VIEWING ENGINE INSTRUMENTATION WAS DONE BY INSTRUCTOR OR STUDENT PRIOR TO OR DURING SECOND SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF ATTEMPT.
Other reports on N318PA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.