Amateur-built SPORTCRUISER N467SC accident near Gober, Texas

Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper recovery from a power-off stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s failure to properly monitor the student pilot during the stall recovery.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot was performing a power-off stall and recovery maneuver. The flight instructor was instructing the student through the maneuver as he was performing it. The student performed the maneuver steps correctly until the stall occurred. During the recovery, the student pitched the airplane’s nose down into a near vertical attitude and applied full power instead of pitching the airplane 10o nose down which was the proper recovery attitude, and the airplane entered an inverted spin. The flight instructor reported that she was caught off guard by the student’s actions during the recovery and immediately took control of the airplane. She attempted to recover the airplane from the spin but was unable to regain airplane control. The instructor then deployed the airframe parachute, and the airplane landed in an open field. Surface wind caught the parachute, causing the airplane to be dragged across the field. As a result, the empennage and wings sustained substantial damage.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN20LA339 for the full record.