Accident Overview
On September 10, 2019, at about 0830 mountain standard time, an Ercoupe 415-C airplane, registration N3816H, sustained substantial damage during an accident at Ak-Chin Regional Airport (A39) in Maricopa, Arizona. The student pilot and flight instructor were seriously injured. The flight was conducted as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
Preflight and Takeoff
According to a postaccident statement by the flight instructor, he briefed the student pilot on the maneuvers to be practiced and had the student describe each one. The briefing included instructions for a positive exchange of flight controls in an emergency, which the student acknowledged. After a preflight inspection, the student pilot taxied to the runway and was instructed to perform a short-field takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left of the centerline, and the instructor told the student to return to centerline. The instructor stated that he "corrected three times with the yoke" before liftoff.
Loss of Control
As the airplane reached 65 knots, the student pilot rotated abruptly by applying a strong amount of back pressure, causing the airplane to pitch up and bank left. The instructor yelled, "I have the flight controls" while applying forward pressure to level the wings, but the airplane did not respond. The instructor then saw the student was still flying. He repeated the control transfer attempt, again without response from the airplane.
Stall and Impact
The airplane stalled at an altitude of about 75 feet above ground level. The student pilot then raised his hands and told the instructor, "you have the controls." The airplane entered a spin and collided with a two-story airport building. A witness (the airplane owner and flight club owner) saw the airplane depart the runway, travel toward the administration building at about 50 feet agl with a normal engine sound, then pitch up slightly, roll left, and impact the building roof nose-first. The owner noted this was the student's second training flight in the accident airplane.
Postaccident Examination
Examination revealed impact damage to the wings and fuselage. Flight control continuity was established. The airframe and engine showed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.