Pilot Debrief

EVEKTOR-AEROTECHNIK AS SPORTSTAR PLUS near Lakeville, MN — 2009-03-17

Final reportCEN09LA238
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Date
2009-03-17
Location
Lakeville, MN, USA
Airport
LVN
Aircraft
EVEKTOR-AEROTECHNIK AS SPORTSTAR PLUS
Registration
N906LA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Go-around

Probable cause

The instructor pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, and the student pilot’s unintentional interference with the instructor’s rudder pedal during the go-around. Contributing to the accident was the cockpit design which allowed inadvertent rudder pedal activation from the opposite seat position.

NTSB narrative

A certified flight instructor (CFI) and his student were practicing maneuvers to simulate slow flight and aircraft control before landing. The intent of the maneuver was to fly the airplane down the length of the runway with the wheels about 2 feet above the runway surface. The student was to control airspeed with pitch, heading with rudder, drift with aileron control, and altitude with power. The CFI stated that the accident occurred on the second attempt of this maneuver and that the first attempt ended because the student was too fast and had too much engine power. The CFI stated that the second pass "started well" but the airplane began to sink around mid-field. He instructed the student to relinquish control and attempted a go-around. The airplane started pitching up and turning to the left, and subsequently impacted the ground. The CFI stated that he believed the student was pushing on the CFI's left rudder pedal during the mishap. He stated that on other occasions students have had their right foot slip off the pilot rudder pedal and on to the co-pilot's left rudder pedal. The student gave a similar account of the accident, but stated that after he relinquished control his feet were "tucked back under [him]." The manufacturer has designed a retrofit barrier that, when installed, would prevent a pilot from being able to depress the rudder pedal in the neighboring pilot position.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
CFI could have aborted the maneuver earlier to prevent loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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