Narrative:

We were shooting a practice approach on the ILS/DME runway 21 approach at prescott (simulated single engine). At the MM we were above GS. Instructor took the controls while I removed hood. He flew it to about 75-50 ft above runway surface. I was willing to let him do the landing, although I did not communicate this to him. He then said 'uh, you can have control...if you, uh, want it.' I probably replied 'ok' rather than the usual 'I have control.' I began to pull the nose up slowly when I thought I felt my instructor push forward on his wheel. I thought this to be unusual since we were low, descending fast in a nose low condition. I then relaxed thinking he was still flying the aircraft. Nosewheel touched down first and we bounced back up. I then noticed him grabbing the wheel as he announced 'I have control.' 'I thought you had control' was my response. We both then realized that nobody was really flying the aircraft -- autoland? The aircraft was still trimmed for 100 KTS, 500 FPM descent, which I normally retrim shortly before landing when I'm flying. Fortunately we walked away -- another lesson learned with an undamaged aircraft. Wishy-washy communications played a major role in this. Another factor was the instructor wanted to let me do the landing, since I was paying for it. Since I was willing to let him do the landing I should have told him. Lack of decisiveness and assertiveness also played the roles.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT LANDS ON NOSEWHEEL FIRST WHEN BOTH PLTS THINK THE OTHER GUY IS FLYING.

Narrative: WE WERE SHOOTING A PRACTICE APCH ON THE ILS/DME RWY 21 APCH AT PRESCOTT (SIMULATED SINGLE ENG). AT THE MM WE WERE ABOVE GS. INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CTLS WHILE I REMOVED HOOD. HE FLEW IT TO ABOUT 75-50 FT ABOVE RWY SURFACE. I WAS WILLING TO LET HIM DO THE LNDG, ALTHOUGH I DID NOT COMMUNICATE THIS TO HIM. HE THEN SAID 'UH, YOU CAN HAVE CTL...IF YOU, UH, WANT IT.' I PROBABLY REPLIED 'OK' RATHER THAN THE USUAL 'I HAVE CTL.' I BEGAN TO PULL THE NOSE UP SLOWLY WHEN I THOUGHT I FELT MY INSTRUCTOR PUSH FORWARD ON HIS WHEEL. I THOUGHT THIS TO BE UNUSUAL SINCE WE WERE LOW, DSNDING FAST IN A NOSE LOW CONDITION. I THEN RELAXED THINKING HE WAS STILL FLYING THE ACFT. NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN FIRST AND WE BOUNCED BACK UP. I THEN NOTICED HIM GRABBING THE WHEEL AS HE ANNOUNCED 'I HAVE CTL.' 'I THOUGHT YOU HAD CTL' WAS MY RESPONSE. WE BOTH THEN REALIZED THAT NOBODY WAS REALLY FLYING THE ACFT -- AUTOLAND? THE ACFT WAS STILL TRIMMED FOR 100 KTS, 500 FPM DSCNT, WHICH I NORMALLY RETRIM SHORTLY BEFORE LNDG WHEN I'M FLYING. FORTUNATELY WE WALKED AWAY -- ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED WITH AN UNDAMAGED ACFT. WISHY-WASHY COMS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE INSTRUCTOR WANTED TO LET ME DO THE LNDG, SINCE I WAS PAYING FOR IT. SINCE I WAS WILLING TO LET HIM DO THE LNDG I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM. LACK OF DECISIVENESS AND ASSERTIVENESS ALSO PLAYED THE ROLES.

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.