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CEN13LA094

2012-12-06 · Adrian, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KADG

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s improper flight control input during a go-around and his interference with the flight instructor’s attempted remedial actions.

Factual narrative

On December 6, 2012, approximately 1715 eastern standard time, an LSA America Allegro airplane, N448SS, impacted terrain while attempting to perform a go-around at the Lenawee County Airport (KADG), Adrian, Michigan. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Sky Walker Flight School, Adrian, Michigan, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The local flight departed KADG about 1700. According to a statement provided by the CFI, while practicing touch and go landings the student could not maintain alignment with the runway's centerline, so the CFI directed a go-around at 30 feet above the runway. When the student added power for the go-around he depressed the left rudder and the airplane rolled and yawed to the left. The CFI announced that he would control the airplane, but the student pilot did not relinquish control authority to the instructor. Prior to impact, the instructor was able to get control of the flight stick, but not the rudders. The airplane impacted terrain in a wings level, nose low attitude. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the CFI. While on approach for a touch-and-go landing, the flight instructor directed the student pilot to go around when the airplane was about 30 feet above the ground. The student pilot added power, and the airplane began to roll and yaw to the left. The student applied the left rudder, and the instructor announced that he would take control of the airplane. The student pilot did not fully relinquish control of the airplane to the instructor, and the airplane impacted the ground. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failure were reported by the instructor. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_CEN13LA094.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, go-around). All research papers