Reporter flight instructor allows spi to pull mixture control inadvertently instead of throttle caus...

Attributes
ACN	321096
Time
Date	199511
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : owd
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : owd tower : sna
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	321096
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was an instructional flight in VFR conditions, local touch and go's flight in a cessna 150. We took off at XA15 EST. Completed the touch and go's, got clearance to land on our down wind leg. Went through normal traffic pattern procedures. On about a 1/4 mi final I told my student to reduce power because we were getting high on the VASI GS. Instead of pulling the throttle back, he pulled the mixture full lean. A few seconds later, I pointed out to him that we were starting to get low on the GS. He tried to give power but to no effect. When I looked to his hands, I saw the mixture full lean. He had starved the engine of fuel. I immediately pushed the mixture in and tried to restart the engine. It wouldn't catch. By that time we were too low and slow. I declared an emergency to the tower and tried to glide the plane to the runway. We were too low at that point. So, I put the plane on the grass just before the runway. The ground was too soft. As soon as the nose gear came down, it started to sink in the soft ground and collapsed. The plane went nose over and flipped. My student and I suffered no injuries at all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FLT INSTRUCTOR ALLOWS SPI TO PULL MIXTURE CTL INADVERTENTLY INSTEAD OF THROTTLE CAUSING OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT IN VFR CONDITIONS, LCL TOUCH AND GO'S FLT IN A CESSNA 150. WE TOOK OFF AT XA15 EST. COMPLETED THE TOUCH AND GO'S, GOT CLRNC TO LAND ON OUR DOWN WIND LEG. WENT THROUGH NORMAL TFC PATTERN PROCS. ON ABOUT A 1/4 MI FINAL I TOLD MY STUDENT TO REDUCE PWR BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING HIGH ON THE VASI GS. INSTEAD OF PULLING THE THROTTLE BACK, HE PULLED THE MIXTURE FULL LEAN. A FEW SECONDS LATER, I POINTED OUT TO HIM THAT WE WERE STARTING TO GET LOW ON THE GS. HE TRIED TO GIVE PWR BUT TO NO EFFECT. WHEN I LOOKED TO HIS HANDS, I SAW THE MIXTURE FULL LEAN. HE HAD STARVED THE ENG OF FUEL. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE MIXTURE IN AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG. IT WOULDN'T CATCH. BY THAT TIME WE WERE TOO LOW AND SLOW. I DECLARED AN EMER TO THE TWR AND TRIED TO GLIDE THE PLANE TO THE RWY. WE WERE TOO LOW AT THAT POINT. SO, I PUT THE PLANE ON THE GRASS JUST BEFORE THE RWY. THE GND WAS TOO SOFT. AS SOON AS THE NOSE GEAR CAME DOWN, IT STARTED TO SINK IN THE SOFT GND AND COLLAPSED. THE PLANE WENT NOSE OVER AND FLIPPED. MY STUDENT AND I SUFFERED NO INJURIES AT ALL.

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.

Reporter flight instructor allows spi to pull mixture control inadvertently instead of throttle causing off airport forced landing.