What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was practicing pattern work at kpgd, doing touch and go’s. student is pre-solo around 25HRS logged. Completed 3 touch and go’s prior to incident. The fourth landing was normal, 45° of flaps, mains and nose wheels touched down. Student attempts to keep centerline for rollout. Pilot notes the adjustments he makes on the rudder. Plane gently starts to veer left. As usual, pilot says “right rudder” student applies left rudder instead which takes us off centerline. Student panics and viscerally reacts by applying more left rudder. Pilot immediately press down on my right rudder, as pilot says “my controls.” student shouts throughout this and continues to keep his foot on the left rudder not understanding that he is still causing the plane to swerve left. Student applies left aileron in an attempt to steer with hands. Pilot control input does nothing, no right rudder authority. Student over powers pilot on the controls and his reaction jolts them even further to the left. The plane tips, right wing scrapes and we settle in the grass. Student yells in frustration as pilot calls ATC to let them know they slid into the grass. Pilot asks student why he kept pushing left rudder and he stated he “didn’t know, I don’t even understand what happened”. For every pattern pilot feet were ready by the rudders pilot had hand hovering by the yoke, left hand free available for flap/throttle correction. Pilot was ready to correct in this situation and did correct but it didn’t work due to his strength.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS PRACTICING PATTERN WORK AT KPGD, DOING TOUCH AND GO’S. STUDENT IS PRE-SOLO AROUND 25HRS LOGGED. COMPLETED 3 TOUCH AND GO’S PRIOR TO INCIDENT. THE FOURTH LANDING WAS NORMAL, 45° OF FLAPS, MAINS AND NOSE WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN. STUDENT ATTEMPTS TO KEEP CENTERLINE FOR ROLLOUT. PILOT NOTES THE ADJUSTMENTS HE MAKES ON THE RUDDER. PLANE GENTLY STARTS TO VEER LEFT. AS USUAL, PILOT SAYS “RIGHT RUDDER” STUDENT APPLIES LEFT RUDDER INSTEAD WHICH TAKES US OFF CENTERLINE. STUDENT PANICS AND VISCERALLY REACTS BY APPLYING MORE LEFT RUDDER. PILOT IMMEDIATELY PRESS DOWN ON MY RIGHT RUDDER, AS PILOT SAYS “MY CONTROLS.” STUDENT SHOUTS THROUGHOUT THIS AND CONTINUES TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE LEFT RUDDER NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT HE IS STILL CAUSING THE PLANE TO SWERVE LEFT. STUDENT APPLIES LEFT AILERON IN AN ATTEMPT TO STEER WITH HANDS. PILOT CONTROL INPUT DOES NOTHING, NO RIGHT RUDDER AUTHORITY. STUDENT OVER POWERS PILOT ON THE CONTROLS AND HIS REACTION JOLTS THEM EVEN FURTHER TO THE LEFT. THE PLANE TIPS, RIGHT WING SCRAPES AND WE SETTLE IN THE GRASS. STUDENT YELLS IN FRUSTRATION AS PILOT CALLS ATC TO LET THEM KNOW THEY SLID INTO THE GRASS. PILOT ASKS STUDENT WHY HE KEPT PUSHING LEFT RUDDER AND HE STATED HE “DIDN’T KNOW, I DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED”. FOR EVERY PATTERN PILOT FEET WERE READY BY THE RUDDERS PILOT HAD HAND HOVERING BY THE YOKE, LEFT HAND FREE AVAILABLE FOR FLAP/THROTTLE CORRECTION. PILOT WAS READY TO CORRECT IN THIS SITUATION AND DID CORRECT BUT IT DIDN’T WORK DUE TO HIS STRENGTH.
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