Event Details
The student pilot was on final approach to the runway. The airplane was stabilized at 65 knots, descending through 20 to 50 feet above ground level, with a 20-knot headwind. At that point, the student pilot suddenly pushed the control yoke full forward.
Pilot Actions
The instructor pilot reacted by pulling the yoke back to raise the nose of the airplane and adding power. However, the airplane was too close to the ground to recover from the situation. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground in a slight nose-up attitude.
Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. No pre-existing mechanical issues were found that could have contributed to the accident. The investigation focused on the sequence of control inputs and the proximity to the ground at the time of the recovery attempt.