PIPER PA 32-300 — Brazoria, TX

What happened

The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting a local instructional flight. Radar data showed that, after takeoff, the airplane flew on a southwesterly heading and reached about 2,300 ft. The airplane then entered a gradual descent, which continued for about 2 minutes until the airplane was at 1,900 ft. About 20 seconds later, the airplane entered a descending left turn from 1,300 ft. The last radar target was recorded at 600 ft, at which point the airplane had turned about 270° onto a northwesterly heading.

The radar data are consistent with the flight instructor retarding the throttle to simulate a power loss and the student entering a left turn in search of suitable terrain on which to make a forced landing. Evidence on scene and witness marks on the airplane were consistent with the airplane hitting a tree before impacting the ground. Control continuity was established to all the flight control surfaces. Examination of the airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. It is possible that the student and flight instructor were distracted by the simulated emergency and failed to arrest the descent before impact with trees.

In this accident, the experienced flight instructor failed to safely carry out a routine training maneuver, a simulated forced landing. He had significant levels of two impairing substances in his system at the time (doxylamine and phentermine). Although not conclusive, it is possible that impairing effects of the flight instructor's use of the combination of two psychoactive substances contributed to his failure to intervene in a timely manner to prevent the accident.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.