Danbury, CT, USA
N89044
Cessna 152
The student pilot was in the traffic pattern practicing touch and go landings, when the flight instructor reduced the engine power to idle to simulate an engine failure. While the student pilot was maneuvering, the airplane "stalled to the left." The CFI assumed control of the airplane; however, the airplane struck trees about 1/2 mile from the runway. The CFI added that he did not hear the airplane's stall warning horn annunciate at any time during the accident sequence. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane's stall warning system functioned normally during post accident testing. The terrain at the accident site sloped upward.
On August 5, 2002, about 1945 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N89044, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during a simulated forced landing in Danbury, Connecticut. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight that departed the Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the CFI stated that the airplane was in the traffic pattern for runway 26, at DXR, and the student pilot was practicing touch and go landings. When the airplane was at an altitude of about 1,200 feet, the CFI reduced the engine power to idle, to simulate an engine failure. While the student pilot was maneuvering, the airplane "stalled to the left." The CFI assumed control of the airplane; however, the airplane struck trees about 1/2 mile from the runway. The CFI added that he did not hear the airplane's stall warning horn annunciate at any time during the accident sequence. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane's stall warning system functioned normally during post accident testing. Additionally, the inspector noted that the terrain at the accident site sloped upward. Winds reported at the airport around the time of the accident were calm.
The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an inadvertent stall during a simulated forced landing. A factor was the rising terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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