Accident Narrative
During a flight intended to practice flight instruction, a commercial pilot working on his Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating was accompanied by a non-pilot rated passenger. The pilot stated that he never released control of the aircraft throughout the flight. On short final approach, the pilot explained to the passenger that a flare, or pulling back on the controls, was necessary to land smoothly. However, the passenger began pushing the yoke forward instead. The pilot responded by pulling back and repeating the instruction to pull back. The passenger pushed harder, prompting the pilot to grab the yoke with both hands and yell the command while attempting to regain control. The passenger panicked and shoved the yoke fully forward, locking his elbows.
Impact and Damage
The aircraft contacted the runway nose-first, just to the right of the centerline. The nose gear crumpled upon impact. The airplane then skidded approximately 200 yards along the runway, during which the propeller and underside of the fuselage sustained damage.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that the passenger's actions during the flare directly led to the loss of control and subsequent hard landing. The pilot's attempts to correct the passenger's input were unsuccessful due to the passenger's panic and continued forward pressure on the yoke. The event concluded with the aircraft coming to a stop on the runway after the prolonged skid.