An small aircraft flew through the top of a tall tree with minor damage and no injury.

Attributes
ACN	237243
Time
Date	199303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 1v5
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	237243
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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

Narrative:

Student and I departed boulder airport for a training flight. After completing about 30 mins of aerobatic practice, I instructed student to return to the airport for landing practice. While on downwind leg for approach to runway 8, I closed the throttle to simulate an engine failure. Student started a turn toward the runway. At a point in time when I was sure that it was apparent to student that we could not reach the runway without adding power, I told her to do so. She immediately added power and stopped the descent. It is impossible to see directly in front of the aircraft, but I was looking to both sides of the nose of the aircraft and was sure that we had sufficient altitude to clear the trees that were visible. At that point we struck the top of a considerably taller tree that was blocked from view by the nose of the aircraft. I then took control of the aircraft and landed on the runway without further incident. I should have instructed the student to suspend the simulated emergency at a higher altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA FLEW THROUGH THE TOP OF A TALL TREE WITH MINOR DAMAGE AND NO INJURY.

Narrative: STUDENT AND I DEPARTED BOULDER ARPT FOR A TRAINING FLT. AFTER COMPLETING ABOUT 30 MINS OF AEROBATIC PRACTICE, I INSTRUCTED STUDENT TO RETURN TO THE ARPT FOR LNDG PRACTICE. WHILE ON DOWNWIND LEG FOR APCH TO RWY 8, I CLOSED THE THROTTLE TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE. STUDENT STARTED A TURN TOWARD THE RWY. AT A POINT IN TIME WHEN I WAS SURE THAT IT WAS APPARENT TO STUDENT THAT WE COULD NOT REACH THE RWY WITHOUT ADDING PWR, I TOLD HER TO DO SO. SHE IMMEDIATELY ADDED PWR AND STOPPED THE DSCNT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ACFT, BUT I WAS LOOKING TO BOTH SIDES OF THE NOSE OF THE ACFT AND WAS SURE THAT WE HAD SUFFICIENT ALT TO CLR THE TREES THAT WERE VISIBLE. AT THAT POINT WE STRUCK THE TOP OF A CONSIDERABLY TALLER TREE THAT WAS BLOCKED FROM VIEW BY THE NOSE OF THE ACFT. I THEN TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND LANDED ON THE RWY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I SHOULD HAVE INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO SUSPEND THE SIMULATED EMER AT A HIGHER ALT.

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.