Accident Overview
On March 17, 2009, at 1852 central daylight time, an Evektor-Aerotechnik AS Sportstar Plus, registration N906LA, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground during a go-around from runway 30 at Airlake Airport in Lakeville, Minnesota. The flight was an instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The local flight had originated approximately 45 minutes prior to the accident.
Maneuver Details
The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student pilot was practicing maneuvers to simulate slow flight and aircraft control before landing. The maneuver involved flying the airplane down the length of the runway with the wheels about 2 feet above the runway surface. The student was to control airspeed with pitch, heading with rudder, drift with aileron, and altitude with power. The accident occurred on the second attempt of this maneuver. The first attempt ended because the student was too fast and had too much engine power.
Pilot Statements
The CFI stated that the second pass started well but the airplane began to sink around midfield. He instructed the student to relinquish control and attempted a go-around. The airplane started pitching up and turning left. The CFI believed the student was pushing on his left rudder pedal. He noted that on other occasions, students had their right foot slip off the pilot rudder pedal and onto the copilot's left rudder pedal.
The student pilot reported that during the maneuver, the left wheel struck the runway and he inadvertently applied left rudder, which put the airplane in a position to go off the left side of the runway. He stated that the CFI called for him to relinquish control, which he did. The CFI told him to "get off the rudders." The student said that at that time, his feet were "tucked back under [him]."
Aircraft Design
The United States importer of the airplane confirmed that no divider exists in that aircraft model to prevent a pilot from inadvertently depressing the opposite seat's rudder pedal. However, the rudder pedal top tube has a protruding flange intended to prevent a pilot's foot from sliding off the rudder pedal.
Manufacturer Response
Following the accident involving N906LA, the manufacturer issued an "Informative Bulletin" to address the possibility of a pilot inadvertently depressing the opposite seat's rudder pedal. The bulletin states that a barrier is available to be installed between the pilot's right and copilot's left seat rudder pedals. The installation of the barrier is optional for aircraft owners.