What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight involving a student pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI). The primary objective of the session was to practice simulated short field approaches for landing. During the maneuver, the CFI provided specific instructions to the student pilot to lower the nose of the aircraft to manage the descent profile.
The student pilot reacted to this instruction by overcompensating with the flight controls. Instead of a smooth adjustment, the pilot pulled back on the controls excessively. This action caused the aircraft to exceed its critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall. The loss of lift led directly to a hard landing impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of control inputs and the aerodynamic state of the aircraft at the time of the incident. Analysis confirmed that the stall was induced by pilot error during the execution of the training maneuver. The mechanical condition of the aircraft was not cited as a contributing factor; the event was attributed entirely to the handling of the flight controls during the simulated approach.
Findings
The primary finding indicates that the student pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and control authority during the simulated short field approach. The overcorrection in response to the instructor's command resulted in a stall. This sequence of events highlights the critical need for precise control input management during low-speed flight phases, particularly when executing complex landing techniques under instruction.