Accident American Champion 8GCBC N249SF, Tuesday 26 June 2001

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Date:	Tuesday 26 June 2001
Time:	16:15 LT
Type:	American Champion 8GCBC
Owner/operator:	Nighthawk Aerial Advertising
Registration:	N249SF
MSN:	418-2000
Year of manufacture:	2000
Total airframe hrs:	344 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-360-C1G
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Paris, TX - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Executive
Departure airport:	Paris-Cox Field, TX (PRX/KPRX)
Destination airport:	Paris-Cox Field, TX (PRX/KPRX)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The flight instructor was demonstrating the airplane to a prospective buyer, who claimed to have 900 hours flight time, but had not taken the private pilot checkride. During the briefing, the flight instructor told the potential buyer/passenger that he could try making the takeoff and that she "would take over if necessary." During the initial takeoff climb, the passenger pulled up excessively to a nose high attitude of approximately 60 degrees and froze on the controls. When he relinquished the controls, the flight instructor was unable to recover the aircraft. The aircraft sank at a fast rate, impacted the ground and bounced. Subsequently, the aircraft cart-wheeled and came to a stop inverted on the grass about 200 feet off the runway.

Probable Cause: the excessive pull up by the passenger along with the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision leading to a loss of control during the takeoff initial climb.

Accident investigation: