Narrative:

A friend of mine (an airline pilot) and I were flying my vintage small aircraft south of naples. I had turned control over to him about 5 min earlier. We were at around 500' AGL and turned to look at a spot of interest. My friend had released the controls thinking I had taken over (I had not). The plane made several lazy banks and descended. Just above tree height, ny friend retook control and we pulled up before any impact. Both of us thought the other was in command. We had never flown together before. Lack of positive communication was the cause. Before I take a flight with another pilot, I will establish a procedure for turning over control between pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALLOWED TO DESCEND TO TREE HEIGHT BECAUSE BOTH PLT OCCUPANTS THOUGHT THE OTHER PLT `HAD IT.'

Narrative: A FRIEND OF MINE (AN AIRLINE PLT) AND I WERE FLYING MY VINTAGE SMA S OF NAPLES. I HAD TURNED CONTROL OVER TO HIM ABOUT 5 MIN EARLIER. WE WERE AT AROUND 500' AGL AND TURNED TO LOOK AT A SPOT OF INTEREST. MY FRIEND HAD RELEASED THE CONTROLS THINKING I HAD TAKEN OVER (I HAD NOT). THE PLANE MADE SEVERAL LAZY BANKS AND DSNDED. JUST ABOVE TREE HEIGHT, NY FRIEND RETOOK CONTROL AND WE PULLED UP BEFORE ANY IMPACT. BOTH OF US THOUGHT THE OTHER WAS IN COMMAND. WE HAD NEVER FLOWN TOGETHER BEFORE. LACK OF POSITIVE COM WAS THE CAUSE. BEFORE I TAKE A FLT WITH ANOTHER PLT, I WILL ESTABLISH A PROC FOR TURNING OVER CONTROL BTWN PLTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.