The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) said in May 2019 a relatively new flight instructor managed to wrestle control of a Cessna 152 away from a student pilot at just 400 feet agl after the aircraft abruptly pitched down into a steep dive at 2,000 feet agl. The instructor sustained minor injuries while the student was uninjured. The flight instructor and student terminated the lesson after recovering from the dive.
Flight Instructor Learns Valuable Lesson About Flying with a New Student
Key Takeaways:
- A Cessna 152 entered a steep dive after a student pilot, confused during a trim demonstration, released the controls, prompting the flight instructor to recover the aircraft at 400 feet agl.
- The instructor's recovery was delayed due to their hands not being in a ready position and sustaining a head injury during the in-flight upset.
- The aircraft incurred significant structural damage to its right horizontal stabilizer because the instructor initiated the dive recovery before neutralizing the elevator trim, causing severe asymmetric loads.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
