Accident Overview
A pilot trainee and instructor pilot were conducting the fifth flight under a training program developed by the operator. Satellite tracking data showed the airplane performed four touch-and-go landings before the satellite signal was lost on the fifth landing. A pilot-rated witness, positioned in his airplane at a taxiway intersection, observed the accident airplane approach with a descent angle and full flaps consistent with a short-field landing.
Sequence of Events
Approximately 10 to 12 feet above ground level, the airplane appeared to flare and then drop onto the runway. It bounced and became airborne with wings level. The airplane then drifted right of runway centerline, and the witness heard engine power increase. The nose suddenly pitched up, and at about 30 to 40 feet above ground level, the airplane stalled and impacted the terrain in a nose-low attitude.
Post-Accident Findings
The instructor pilot stated he had no recall of the accident flight or the preceding several days. Examination of the airframe revealed the flaps were extended to 30 degrees and the elevator trim was set approximately 10 degrees nose-up. No mechanical anomalies were found that would have prevented normal operation.
Pilot Training Background
The pilot's operating handbook supplement for balked landing procedures required immediate retraction of flaps to 20 degrees. The source notes that an elevator trim stall occurs when full power is applied with excessive nose-up trim, resulting in loss of positive control and a stall. This type of stall is common during go-arounds from normal landings.
During the previous four flights, the instructor pilot recorded on a grade sheet that the trainee was "below standards and needs additional training" in areas including approach-to-landing stalls, short-field landings, and judgment. Additional comments noted the trainee sometimes struggled with aircraft trim, attempted to "muscle" the aircraft, and initiated flares too high. For short-field approaches, the instructor noted the need for a stabilized approach and avoidance of high flaring.
Training Program Compliance
The operator's program required an initial assessment to develop an individual "Master Training Program" as a roadmap for the trainee to gain necessary experience, skills, and knowledge. However, an initial assessment was not completed for this pilot trainee.