An instructor pilot overstressed an small aircraft while demonstrating unusual attitude recovery.

Attributes
ACN	224261
Time
Date	199210
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orh
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	224261
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On a training flight for an instrument candidate, I was demonstrating unusual attitudes and recovery from such attitudes. During recovery from a spiral dive, vne was exceeded for approximately 3-5 seconds. Further training was terminated and we returned to the airport. Upon examination of the wings the next day (it had been dark upon our return), there had been some slight buckling of the aft portion of the left wing where it joins the fuselage. Estimates on the repair are currently being done. In retrospect, I believe vne was exceeded because of delay in initiating a positive recovery. While entry to the maneuver was normal, airspeed increased faster than usual for this type of maneuver, but normal speed recovery was what was used to recover. While I have flown this type of aircraft before, I do not believe I have demonstrated unusual attitudes in this aircraft prior to this occurrence. Airspeed build-up occurred much more rapidly than I was accustomed to and my disbelief at the airspeed indication slowed my reaction to the event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT OVERSTRESSED AN SMA WHILE DEMONSTRATING UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY.

Narrative: ON A TRAINING FLT FOR AN INST CANDIDATE, I WAS DEMONSTRATING UNUSUAL ATTITUDES AND RECOVERY FROM SUCH ATTITUDES. DURING RECOVERY FROM A SPIRAL DIVE, VNE WAS EXCEEDED FOR APPROX 3-5 SECONDS. FURTHER TRAINING WAS TERMINATED AND WE RETURNED TO THE ARPT. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE WINGS THE NEXT DAY (IT HAD BEEN DARK UPON OUR RETURN), THERE HAD BEEN SOME SLIGHT BUCKLING OF THE AFT PORTION OF THE L WING WHERE IT JOINS THE FUSELAGE. ESTIMATES ON THE REPAIR ARE CURRENTLY BEING DONE. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE VNE WAS EXCEEDED BECAUSE OF DELAY IN INITIATING A POSITIVE RECOVERY. WHILE ENTRY TO THE MANEUVER WAS NORMAL, AIRSPD INCREASED FASTER THAN USUAL FOR THIS TYPE OF MANEUVER, BUT NORMAL SPD RECOVERY WAS WHAT WAS USED TO RECOVER. WHILE I HAVE FLOWN THIS TYPE OF ACFT BEFORE, I DO NOT BELIEVE I HAVE DEMONSTRATED UNUSUAL ATTITUDES IN THIS ACFT PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE. AIRSPD BUILD-UP OCCURRED MUCH MORE RAPIDLY THAN I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO AND MY DISBELIEF AT THE AIRSPD INDICATION SLOWED MY REACTION TO THE EVENT.

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.