Event CEN25LA171

Factual narrative

During the instructional flight, the airplane was landing to the runway with the student pilot operating the flight controls. Upon touchdown, the airplane “swerved hard to the left.” The flight instructor immediately announced, “my controls” and he attempted to maintain directional control. He reported the loss of directional control happened “so fast” and that he was unable to recover the airplane. After the accident, the student pilot reported that he “may have had his feet on the brakes” upon touchdown. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount, with a bend in a truss tube. The flight instructor reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor further reported that in the future, he will be having new student pilots announce, “heels on the floor” during the landing flare, to prevent inadvertent brake application. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Surface speed/braking-Incorrect use/operation
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
• — Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other person-Instructor/check pilot