What happened
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was involved in a training exercise where the instructor provided a simulated power failure scenario. At approximately 75 feet above ground level, the student pilot initiated a steep turn intended to head into the wind. This maneuver resulted in a nearly 90-degree change in heading.
The flight instructor noted that the actual wind direction did not align with the direction the student had chosen to turn. Consequently, after completing the turn, the pilot no longer had the option to go around or land on the longest part of the lake. To avoid a stall, the instructor lowered the aircraft's nose and applied full power; however, there was insufficient altitude to recover airspeed. The aircraft subsequently impacted the water in a wings-level attitude and sustained damage.
The investigation
The flight instructor provided a detailed account of the events leading up to the impact. Key observations included the timing of the simulated failure, the specific altitude at which the turn was initiated, and the discrepancy between the intended wind alignment and actual conditions. The instructor also confirmed the application of full power and nose-down input in an attempt to prevent a stall, noting that altitude loss prevented recovery.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the accident included the student pilot's decision to initiate a steep turn at low altitude during a simulated emergency. The turn resulted in an unintended heading change that eliminated safe landing options on the lake. Additionally, the lack of sufficient altitude to recover airspeed after applying full power led to the impact with the water surface.