Katana
DA-20 C1 C-GEQF
25
June 2002
St-Lambert de Lévis, Quebec
The Air Cadet student pilot was on his second flight
as part of the Flying Scholarship Program. He and his
instructor departed the Quebec City airport for the
local training area. Once in the area, they performed
basic manoeuvres and the instructor demonstrated circuit
procedures by using a farmer's field as a simulated
airport. Once established on final for the chosen field,
the instructor demonstrated and had the student practice
approach path control.
When the aircraft reached approximately 400 feet AGL,
the instructor took control and initiated the missed
approach. While establishing the aircraft in the climb,
he felt pressure on the flight controls to the point
that he did not have complete control of the aircraft.
He noticed that the student, apparently unaware of what
he was doing, was pulling the control stick back and
to the left. The instructor repeatedly instructed the
student to release the controls while he tried to lower
the nose in order to increase the airspeed and avoid
the stall. The student did not release the controls
and the aircraft, with the nose too high and the airspeed
too low for the power available, quickly lost altitude
and the right wing contacted the ground. It then yawed
180 degrees to the right and landed backward in a recently
planted cornfield and came to rest upright beside a
large pile of rocks.
The student and instructor exited the aircraft normally
and were uninjured. They walked a short distance to
a farmhouse and used the phone to contact the flying
school.
The aircraft received A Category damage. The rear fuselage
separated midway between the tail and the cockpit and
the right wing was pushed up, damaging the spar and
control rods. The nose gear separated and the engine
was pushed up, damaging the engine mount and causing
a sudden engine stoppage. The aircraft being entirely
made of composite material, it is not expected that
it will be economical to repair it.
The investigation is focussing on the student's interference
with the controls.
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