Incident Overview
A certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were engaged in a training flight. Shortly after departure, when the aircraft had reached an altitude between 75 and 100 feet, the CFI reduced the throttle to idle to simulate an engine failure. As the aircraft descended and the student pilot flared to land on the remaining runway, the student raised the nose to an excessive pitch angle. The CFI instructed the student to apply power and correct the pitch, and the CFI attempted to move the throttle forward. Despite these efforts, the aircraft made contact with the runway with significant force, resulting in a hard landing.
Sequence of Events
The crew was not aware that the hard landing had caused damage to the aircraft. They continued with a stop-and-go landing procedure, taking off again without conducting a post-landing inspection. After the subsequent takeoff, when the landing gear was retracted, the gear in transit light remained illuminated, indicating that the landing gear had not fully retracted or was in an abnormal state. The flight crew decided to return to the airport. The landing gear was extended, and the aircraft performed an uneventful landing.
The incident involved a simulated emergency procedure that did not proceed as intended, leading to a hard landing and a subsequent gear indication issue. No further information was available regarding the extent of damage or other circumstances.