Accident Details
On July 29, 2019, at approximately 0632 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 162 light sport airplane (registration N30321) was substantially damaged in an accident near Vernal, Utah. The flight instructor and student pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
Pilot Statements
The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a soft field takeoff for the student pilot. After completing the soft field procedure, he proceeded to demonstrate the differences between best angle of climb (Vx) and best rate of climb (Vy). When he established Vx, he saw a gray streak out of the corner of his eye and immediately pitched up to avoid a wildlife strike. The engine then lost power, and the instructor pitched the airplane forward to lower the angle of attack. He did not recall anything further.
The student pilot stated that the instructor started to take off. The airplane lifted off the runway and increased speed close to the ground when the instructor pulled the control stick back abruptly, causing the airplane to climb at an extreme angle of attack. After a few seconds of climbing vertically, the airplane slowed and felt as if it stalled; however, the stall warning horn never sounded. The instructor then pushed the nose down. As they rapidly approached the ground, the instructor pulled up; the airplane impacted the ground and bounced from one side of the runway to the other before coming to rest.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane going straight up into the air. It appeared to stall and fly straight down to the ground. The airplane leveled off shortly before it impacted the ground and bounced.
Investigation Findings
On-scene examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed propeller striations on the runway surface. No blood, feathers, or other evidence of a bird strike were found on the airplane. A hole was observed in the windscreen, but none of the windscreen pieces were found within the cabin area, and there was no evidence of impact with a bird on the windscreen or within the cabin. Two different types of bird feathers were found in the grass surrounding the runway surface and were sent to the Smithsonian Institution Feather Identification Lab. The feathers were identified as from a Eurasian Collared Dove and a Western Meadowlark; the feathers were dry.
Postaccident airframe and engine examination revealed no anomalies.