Accident Overview
A flight instructor and a student pilot were conducting instruction in a special light sport weight-shift airplane. The student, who was not rated in that category, was flying from the front seat while the instructor occupied the rear seat. The accident occurred during landing when the airplane bounced. The instructor called for a go-around, but the student pushed the control bar "out too far," leading to an aerodynamic stall.
Sequence of Events
According to the flight instructor, the airplane bounced on landing. In response, the instructor initiated a go-around command. However, the student pilot extended the control bar excessively, causing the aircraft to stall. The stall resulted in a left roll, and the left wingtip contacted the ground. The airplane subsequently cartwheeled. The instructor noted that the student had more leverage than the instructor's control bars in the rear seat, which may have contributed to the excessive input.
Postaccident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducted a postaccident examination and found substantial damage to the entire fuselage. No other damage items were specified. The occupants' status was not mentioned in the report.
Probable Cause
The accident's probable cause, as stated by the instructor, was the student pilot pushing the control bar too far, which caused the airplane to stall and led to the subsequent ground contact and cartwheel.