Accident Details
A certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot departed on an instructional flight during dark night conditions to practice stalls and slow flight. Approximately 15 minutes after departure, the airplane impacted an open field in a nose-down, inverted attitude. The impact was high-speed, with the engine and propeller completely embedded in the ground. The airplane sustained extensive damage.
Witness Accounts
Multiple witnesses reported observing a light descending to the ground at a steep angle and hearing the sound of impact. No further details were provided.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical deficiencies. The flap actuator was found in the fully extended position. The high-speed nature of the impact was consistent with the damage observed.
Pilot Information
According to records, the CFI had logged 4 hours of night flight instruction time and 66 hours of total instruction time prior to the accident. The student pilot was on his fifth flight, with a total flight time of 4.5 hours (all dual instruction). The student's first two flights were also partially conducted at night with the same CFI.