What happened
The pilot reported that following takeoff, he performed three touch-and-go landings before initiating a series of stalls. During one of these maneuvers, the aircraft entered a cross-control spin to the left. The pilot attempted to apply full right rudder pedal pressure to recover from the spin but found that he could not generate sufficient force to effect a recovery.
The investigation
A physical examination of the aircraft was conducted after the incident. Investigators discovered that the front seat belt had not been secured properly prior to flight. As a result, the belt had looped around the right rudder pedal, physically obstructing its movement and preventing the pilot from applying the necessary control input.
Findings
The inability to recover from the spin was directly caused by the mechanical obstruction of the rudder pedal. The front seat belt was not fastened correctly, which allowed it to entangle with the right rudder pedal. This prevented the application of full right rudder authority during the critical recovery phase.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure that all seat belts are properly secured and free from obstructions before flight. Loose equipment in the cockpit can interfere with control inputs, particularly during high-workload phases such as stall recovery or spin entry.