Background
The Civil Air Patrol organized and provided instructors for a two-day course teaching CAP mission pilots techniques for high-altitude search flying. The curriculum included a landing approach to an airstrip with an elevation of 6,080 feet. The approach was to be terminated with a go-around, which required promptly turning the aircraft away from rising terrain beyond the departure end of the runway.
The Accident
During the training flight, the trainee-pilot flew the approach but allowed the airspeed to slow below the best angle of climb speed. As the landing gear and flaps were being raised, the pilot also failed to promptly turn the aircraft away from the rising terrain. Due to the high density altitude of 8,500 feet, the aircraft's climb performance was degraded. Subsequently, the aircraft collided with the rising terrain.
Findings
The investigation found that the CFI failed to adequately monitor the student's performance and failed to follow established CAP procedures, which required him to issue mission abort instructions in a timely manner.