Accident Sequence
During a practice emergency landing, the airplane stalled and entered a spin at approximately 500 feet above ground level. The student pilot had applied excessive left rudder, precipitating the loss of control. The flight instructor promptly executed emergency spin recovery procedures and successfully stopped the rotation at a low altitude. However, the aircraft subsequently struck a tree, impacted an embankment, and burst into flames.
Pilot Reports
The flight instructor reported no mechanical problems with the aircraft. In contrast, the student pilot expressed an opinion that the accident could have been prevented with proper maintenance, alleging that the controls "froze up."
Post-Accident Examination
All flight controls were accounted for at the accident site. Flight control continuity was established from the primary flight control surfaces to their respective cockpit controls. All cockpit flap controls and indicators were destroyed. Due to impact damage, flap cable continuity could not be established. Examination of the right flap drive indicated that the flaps were in the up position.
Maintenance Records
A review of the maintenance records revealed no open aircraft discrepancies.