Mathis Melvin R BUSHBY MUSTANG II N217AT

Summary

On 8 April 2010 at about 22:30 local time, a Mathis Melvin R BUSHBY MUSTANG II registered N217AT was involved in an accident near Apple Valley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 April 2010 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Apple Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Apple Valley (APV)

Coordinates

34.5753, -117.1861

Aircraft

Mathis Melvin R BUSHBY MUSTANG II

Registration

N217AT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Apple Valley → Apple Valley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10CA204

Nobody was injured.

The CFI's inability to overcome the improper control inputs of the private pilot, who was handling the flight controls, which resulted in their loss of directional control during landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certified flight instructor (CFI) had previous experience flying the experimental, homebuilt airplane. He offered to provide the prospective airplane purchaser with a familiarization flight that included stalls and landings. The CFI demonstrated a couple of stalls to the student, who held a private pilot certificate and a tailwheel endorsement, and they then practiced landings. The CFI reported that he was monitoring the pilot's performance while the pilot was handling the controls. The CFI stated that the pilot's first landing was not satisfactorily performed, and the pilot almost lost control of the conventional gear airplane during rollout. The pilot reported that he had difficulty controlling the throttle, the design of which was unfamiliar to him. The pilot's second approach and 3-point touchdown appeared to be satisfactory; however, after the airplane rolled several hundred feet, the private pilot suddenly and abruptly applied left and right rudder pressure while moving the flight controls erratically. The CFI joined the pilot on the flight controls in an attempt at maintaining control. The CFI could not overcome the inputs of the private pilot and directional control was lost. The airplane's divergent rollout course was not corrected and the airplane exited off the left side of the runway and ground-looped. The airplane came to rest with collapsed landing gear and a bent wing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.