Accident Overview
A student pilot was practicing stalls approximately 10 nautical miles north of an airport. During recovery from a stall, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot advanced the throttle, applied carburetor heat, and attempted to adjust the mixture. The engine continued to run roughly and lose power. The pilot then returned to the airport.
Narrative
Upon arrival at the airport, the aircraft was at about 200 feet above ground level (AGL). The pilot attempted to align with Runway 16, which was the downwind runway. While approaching Runway 16, the pilot observed another aircraft landing in the opposite direction and turned to parallel the runway. The aircraft continued to descend due to low power and subsequently stalled and crashed from approximately 20 feet AGL near the midfield area.
Findings
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the mixture control was not in the full rich position. Further examination of the wreckage and a test run of the engine did not reveal evidence of a pre-accident mechanical failure or deficiency.