- Date
- December 6, 2012, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Adrian, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N448SSLsa America Allegro
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121206029099A
- Case key
- 85772
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper flight control input during a go-around and his interference with the flight instructor’s attempted remedial actions.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While on approach for a touch-and-go landing, the flight instructor directed the student pilot to go around when the airplane was about 30 feet above the ground. The student pilot added power, and the airplane began to roll and yaw to the left. The student applied the left rudder, and the instructor announced that he would take control of the airplane. The student pilot did not fully relinquish control of the airplane to the instructor, and the airplane impacted the ground. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failure were reported by the instructor.
Factual narrative
On December 6, 2012, approximately 1715 eastern standard time, an LSA America Allegro airplane, N448SS, impacted terrain while attempting to perform a go-around at the Lenawee County Airport (KADG), Adrian, Michigan. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Sky Walker Flight School, Adrian, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The local flight departed KADG about 1700. According to a statement provided by the CFI, while practicing touch and go landings the student could not maintain alignment with the runway's centerline, so the CFI directed a go-around at 30 feet above the runway. When the student added power for the go-around he depressed the left rudder and the airplane rolled and yawed to the left. The CFI announced that he would control the airplane, but the student pilot did not relinquish control authority to the instructor. Prior to impact, the instructor was able to get control of the flight stick, but not the rudders. The airplane impacted terrain in a wings level, nose low attitude. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the CFI.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N448SS
- Reported as
- Lsa America Allegro
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11-9001
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sky Walker Flight School LLC
- Registered owner
- Sky Walker Flight School LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed
- KADG · Adrian, MI
- Destination
- KADG · Adrian, MI
- Airport
- KADG · Lenawee County, runway 23, 5,001 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 29, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 24,000 total · 50 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KADG
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.