What happened
On September 17, 2025, a Piper PA-28-181 100i, registration N580JA, was involved in an accident near Astatula, Florida. The aircraft, operated by Orlando Flight Academy, was being used for a Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot was performing solo, full-stop/taxi-back landings.
During the third landing approach, the pilot initiated a go-around because of traffic on the runway. Due to heavy congestion, the pilot departed the traffic pattern. During the climb, the pilot engaged the autopilot in climb mode and switched fuel tanks. Following the fuel tank switch, the pilot observed the airplane's airspeed and engine RPM increasing as the aircraft began to descend. The pilot disconnected the autopilot, reduced power, and leveled the nose to stop the descent. However, the aircraft began to pitch down and descend again. Despite applying maximum back pressure, the pilot could not arrest the descent and attempted to land on a nearby dirt road.
During the landing, the right wing struck a power pole and a fence. The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings, including a partial separation of the right wing mid-span and a crushed left wingtip. The student pilot sustained 1 minor injury and was not killed.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft showed that the stabilator trim tab was deflected to the full nose-down position. The position of the flight control surface matched the position shown on the cockpit indicator. The pilot reported that she did not manipulate the stabilator trim controls during the accident sequence.