Instrument trainee mistakenly shut off engine of an small aircraft sel aircraft during an IFR cross ...

Attributes
ACN	216420
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6400 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : esf
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	216420
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying with a flight instructor an small aircraft sel aircraft for an airway in IFR flight plan in VFR conditions with no restriction. The PIC was the instructor and it was a flight plan on his name. While we were flying we were joking about what would happen in case of stopping the engine. The instructor told me that the propeller would never stop. I couldn't believe him. Then he told me... Try if you want and I did it, I take off the mixture and the key. Then he start to shout me and I realize he was joking when he told me that about the key and the engine then we lose 600 ft when we recovered we had descended from 7000 ft to 6400 ft and we climb back right away. 10 mins later miami center contact us for asking why we lose that altitude and my instructor say that we had some fuel problems but everything was going ok now. The controller didn't ask more questions and we got to the airport at jacksonville international. I don't think it's professional for a flight instructor to try to avoid his fault throwing it all over the student, and because of this I have been expelled of the school. I wonder how it is possible that in this country of freedom, when a thing like this happened to me I was given no chance to prove my innocence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST TRAINEE MISTAKENLY SHUT OFF ENG OF AN SMA SEL ACFT DURING AN IFR XCOUNTRY FLT RESULTING IN AN ALTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING WITH A FLT INSTRUCTOR AN SMA SEL ACFT FOR AN AIRWAY IN IFR FLT PLAN IN VFR CONDITIONS WITH NO RESTRICTION. THE PIC WAS THE INSTRUCTOR AND IT WAS A FLT PLAN ON HIS NAME. WHILE WE WERE FLYING WE WERE JOKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN CASE OF STOPPING THE ENG. THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD ME THAT THE PROP WOULD NEVER STOP. I COULDN'T BELIEVE HIM. THEN HE TOLD ME... TRY IF YOU WANT AND I DID IT, I TAKE OFF THE MIXTURE AND THE KEY. THEN HE START TO SHOUT ME AND I REALIZE HE WAS JOKING WHEN HE TOLD ME THAT ABOUT THE KEY AND THE ENG THEN WE LOSE 600 FT WHEN WE RECOVERED WE HAD DSNDED FROM 7000 FT TO 6400 FT AND WE CLB BACK RIGHT AWAY. 10 MINS LATER MIAMI CTR CONTACT US FOR ASKING WHY WE LOSE THAT ALT AND MY INSTRUCTOR SAY THAT WE HAD SOME FUEL PROBLEMS BUT EVERYTHING WAS GOING OK NOW. THE CTLR DIDN'T ASK MORE QUESTIONS AND WE GOT TO THE ARPT AT JACKSONVILLE INTL. I DON'T THINK IT'S PROFESSIONAL FOR A FLT INSTRUCTOR TO TRY TO AVOID HIS FAULT THROWING IT ALL OVER THE STUDENT, AND BECAUSE OF THIS I HAVE BEEN EXPELLED OF THE SCHOOL. I WONDER HOW IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IN THIS COUNTRY OF FREEDOM, WHEN A THING LIKE THIS HAPPENED TO ME I WAS GIVEN NO CHANCE TO PROVE MY INNOCENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Instrument trainee mistakenly shut off engine of an small aircraft sel aircraft during an IFR cross country flight resulting in an altitude deviation.