10 Jun 2009: SMITH ALBERT F CHALLENGER TWO — ANGEL WINGS AVIATION LLC

10 Jun 2009: SMITH ALBERT F CHALLENGER TWO — ANGEL WINGS AVIATION LLC

No fatalities • Moses Lake, WA, United States

Probable cause

The student pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain lateral roll control of the airplane. Also causal was the flight instructor's failure to effectively communicate his instruction to relinquish the flight controls to the student pilot and his inadequate supervision of the flight.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

According to the flight instructor, after completing a series of maneuvers in the local practice area, he had the student pilot enter the traffic pattern for runway 16. The student pilot was to execute a low approach above the runway and then go around. During the low approach as the airplane passed midfield, the right wing of the airplane began to lift up, and the airplane veered to the left of the runway. The student added full power. The flight instructor stated that he announced to the student pilot that he was taking control of the airplane. Despite the flight instructor’s attempts to level the wings and gain air speed to begin a climb, the left wing of the airplane impacted a stationary unoccupied airplane. The flight instructor added that in subsequent discussions with the student pilot, the student pilot informed him that he did not hear the flight instructor announce that he was taking control and never relinquished control of the airplane. The flight instructor stated that "at full power," the engine noise was "high enough to make communication impossible." Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged. The inspector reported that flight control continuity was established throughout the airplane to all primary flight controls. The reported wind at the time of the accident was 250 degrees for 8 knots, which equates to a right crosswind component of 8 knots.

Contributing factors

  • Effect on personnel
  • cause Instructor/check pilot
  • Effect on operation
  • cause Student pilot
  • cause Response/compensation
  • cause Lateral/bank control — Not attained/maintained
  • cause Instructor/check pilot

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 250/08kt, vis 10sm

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