Incident Overview
A certificated flight instructor and a private pilot were conducting an instrument approach to a 2,500-foot runway in instrument meteorological conditions. The private pilot was at the controls.
Flight Sequence
At the minimum descent altitude, the pilot initiated a circle-to-land on the opposite runway. The instructor said "no," assumed control, and executed a "steep" turn to land on the approach runway. The pilot stated that the airplane had "too much airspeed and floated almost halfway down the runway." Upon touchdown, the pilot reported that the airplane was "hydroplaning" on the wet runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway, slid down a grassy hill, and came to rest in a ditch. The firewall sustained substantial damage.
Post-accident Observations
The instructor stated "there was some confusion" regarding who was at the controls during touchdown and that he "should have taken over sooner" than he did. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported. The nearest weather station, about 15 nautical miles north, reported winds from 310 degrees at 3 knots and 10 miles visibility around the accident time. Rain had ended approximately 15 minutes prior.