Incident Overview
An aircraft on an instrument training flight encountered a control malfunction during climb. The flight had been cleared to an altitude of 6,000 feet. As the aircraft climbed through 4,500 feet, with the instructor flying, the trainee reported that the airplane pitched up and rolled to the left, followed by a pitch down and a roll back to wings level, then a pitch back up and to the left. The instructor stated that the aircraft suddenly nosedived for about 3 to 4 seconds and then pitched up into a climb.
Control Issues
Both pilots subsequently reported that the pitch control felt stuck in a pitch-up position. They had to hold forward pressure to keep the nose down, with the instructor noting that both pilots applied full forward pressure to prevent a stall. The instructor further reported that the aircraft would not roll, while the trainee said the controls were stuck in a roll to the left. The instructor attempted to trim the aircraft nose-down but was unsuccessful.
Emergency Landing
The pilots declared an emergency with air traffic control and decided to land in a field directly in front of the aircraft. They used rudder and power for control, achieving a successful landing.
Autopilot and Post-Incident Examination
In an initial interview with an FAA inspector, the pilots stated that the autopilot was not engaged at the time of the occurrence, and they made no attempts to disengage it during the incident. Post-incident examinations of the flight controls, trim system, and autopilot operation were conducted by the operator, an FAA inspector, and the autopilot manufacturer. No evidence of malfunctions or abnormal operation was found.