Primary finding
Probable cause
The flight instructor’s failure to attain/maintain aircraft control during landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The flight instructor was demonstrating a three-point landing during an instructional flight when the airplane bounced on the runway and ground looped. The instructor recovered the airplane from the ground loop as it departed the runway surface and then added engine power to try to avoid impact with a wall that was part of the runway’s bridge over a creek. The airplane impacted the wall and fell into the creek. The airplane sustained substantial damage that included damage to the airplane fuselage and engine mount. The flight instructor stated that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.