Accident Sequence
An airplane operated by a flight instructor and a student pilot crashed approximately five minutes after departure. The accident site was located about half a mile south of the departure end of the runway.
Witness Observation
A witness reported seeing the airplane already established in a left spiral at an altitude between 500 and 700 feet above ground level. The aircraft was observed in a nose-down attitude of about 70 degrees. The wings remained intact during the initial spiral, which was described as very fast. Subsequently, the right wing separated straight back from the aircraft.
Examination Findings
Examination of the right wing strut attach fitting revealed that it had failed as a result of overstressing loads. The fore and aft wood spars were examined and found to have failed due to overload forces. Additionally, the inboard rear strut attach fitting showed evidence of failure in tension overload.
Weight Information
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was 94 pounds over its maximum gross weight.