What happened
The instructor and student pilot were conducting practice touch-and-go landings. During one approach, the student allowed the aircraft's airspeed to decrease significantly. After initially correcting this situation, the student permitted the speed to drop again just before flare. The aircraft began to descend rapidly, prompting an attempt to initiate a go-around. However, the maneuver was started too late to prevent the aircraft from striking the runway surface. Following impact, the aircraft skidded to the right and collided with a snowbank.
The investigation
The report details the sequence of events leading to the collision but does not provide specific mechanical examination results or post-accident inspection findings beyond the immediate physical interaction with the runway and snowbank.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach and flare. This loss of energy resulted in a high sink rate that could not be arrested in time for a safe go-around, leading to the hard landing and subsequent skid into the snowbank.
Safety message
Maintaining proper airspeed control is critical during touch-and-go landings. Pilots must ensure sufficient energy is available to execute a go-around if the landing becomes unstable.