THE STUDENT WAS ON HIS 5TH DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT & WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR. THEY HAD COMPLETED 3 OR 4 LANDINGS & WERE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR ANOTHER WHEN AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM CLOUD MOVED OVER THE ARPT. A PLT/WITNESS STATED THAT A HI WIND DEVELOPED & WAS BLOWING DOWN RWY 25, ON WHICH THE AIRCREW WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS. AS THE ACFT WAS ROCKED BY THE WIND, THE AIRCREW APPLIED POWER & INITIATED A GO-AROUND. REPORTEDLY, AIRCREW APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE ACFT COULD NOT GAIN ALT & SKIMMED ALONG THE RWY AT AN ESTIMATED 30 TO 50 FT. ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RWY, IT ENTERED A SHALLOW LEFT TURN, THEN FELL NOSE DOWN, CRASHED & BURNED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE FLAP JACKSCREW WAS FOUND IN A POSITION THAT CORRESPONDED TO ABOUT 20 DEG OF FLAPS.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..THUNDERSTORM
WEATHER CONDITION..RAIN
WEATHER CONDITION..UNFAVORABLE WIND

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