What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 8, 2025, at 0854 EDT, a Cessna 150F aircraft, registered as privacy data omitted and privacy data omitted, sustained significant damage during a training flight in Zeeland, Michigan. The flight, operated by a student pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI), was conducted under the guidelines of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 141, without a filed flight plan. Fortunately, both the student pilot and the CFI were uninjured.
During the landing attempt on runway 2, the aircraft stalled and overturned, coming to rest on the left side of the runway. Following the incident, ^Mr. Helbing convened a conference call with rfh, rec, and a certified flight instructor to gather insights from the pilot's perspective. The CFI recounted the flight, noting that they had practiced various maneuvers before approaching the landing. The student pilot was in control during the landing attempts but faced challenges, such as being too high on approach and allowing the aircraft to slow excessively.
The CFI instructed the student to increase power and eventually took control to perform a go-around. However, the controls felt unusually heavy, possibly due to the student's inadvertent resistance, which hindered the cfi's ability to recover the aircraft effectively. The situation deteriorated rapidly, leading to the impact. Despite the incident, both the CFI and the student pilot were able to exit the aircraft safely.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 8, 2025, AT 0854 EDT, A CESSNA 150F AIRCRAFT, REGISTERED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT IN ZEELAND, MICHIGAN. THE FLIGHT, OPERATED BY A STUDENT PILOT AND A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 141, WITHOUT A FILED FLIGHT PLAN. FORTUNATELY, BOTH THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE CFI WERE UNINJURED.
DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT ON RUNWAY 2, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND OVERTURNED, COMING TO REST ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, ^MR. HELBING CONVENED A CONFERENCE CALL WITH RFH, REC, AND A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO GATHER INSIGHTS FROM THE PILOT'S PERSPECTIVE. THE CFI RECOUNTED THE FLIGHT, NOTING THAT THEY HAD PRACTICED VARIOUS MANEUVERS BEFORE APPROACHING THE LANDING. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS IN CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPTS BUT FACED CHALLENGES, SUCH AS BEING TOO HIGH ON APPROACH AND ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOW EXCESSIVELY.
THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO INCREASE POWER AND EVENTUALLY TOOK CONTROL TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND. HOWEVER, THE CONTROLS FELT UNUSUALLY HEAVY, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE STUDENT'S INADVERTENT RESISTANCE, WHICH HINDERED THE CFI'S ABILITY TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT EFFECTIVELY. THE SITUATION DETERIORATED RAPIDLY, LEADING TO THE IMPACT. DESPITE THE INCIDENT, BOTH THE CFI AND THE STUDENT PILOT WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.