Narrative:

Student (certificated private pilot in training toward flight review signoff) practicing crosswind takeoffs and lndgs. First attempt resulted in acceptable landing. Second attempt was intended to be a soft-field landing. Student maintained a consistently low airspeed all the way down final. I should've corrected that deficiency based on the results. Student maintained the correct confign for crosswind landing (upwind aileron into the wind; opposite rudder to keep nose aligned with the runway). As the round-out started; student applied slight power to ease descent for soft-field technique. Probably too much power; aircraft started to float. Student failed to maintain directional control in crosswind. I suggested a go around. Student applied full power but failed to lower nose to regain flying speed. Stall warning was constant on. Aircraft began oscillating from one side of the runway to the other; even beyond runway edge. It's at this time we may have clipped a runway light post. (Inspection after landing revealed no noticeable damage to aircraft.) I took controls; commanded student to release all controls and pressures; regained flying speed; regained control of the aircraft; and began to climb out. I flew the aircraft back to our home base and landed. I wasn't sure whether we'd hit a light; and if a tire was flat as a result; I wanted to be on the controls at touchdown. This incident resulted from my hesitation in correcting student for a 'low and slow' condition -- in the hopes he would see the result of his actions. Little did I know he would freeze on the controls and stop countering the crosswind. This student's initial training in crosswind correction and landing techniques was clearly deficient.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PILOT LOSES CONTROL OF ACFT PRACTICING SOFT FIELD LANDING IN CROSSWIND REQUIRING INSTRUCTOR TO TAKE OVER AND GAR.

Narrative: STUDENT (CERTIFICATED PVT PLT IN TRAINING TOWARD FLT REVIEW SIGNOFF) PRACTICING XWIND TKOFS AND LNDGS. FIRST ATTEMPT RESULTED IN ACCEPTABLE LNDG. SECOND ATTEMPT WAS INTENDED TO BE A SOFT-FIELD LNDG. STUDENT MAINTAINED A CONSISTENTLY LOW AIRSPD ALL THE WAY DOWN FINAL. I SHOULD'VE CORRECTED THAT DEFICIENCY BASED ON THE RESULTS. STUDENT MAINTAINED THE CORRECT CONFIGN FOR XWIND LNDG (UPWIND AILERON INTO THE WIND; OPPOSITE RUDDER TO KEEP NOSE ALIGNED WITH THE RWY). AS THE ROUND-OUT STARTED; STUDENT APPLIED SLIGHT PWR TO EASE DSCNT FOR SOFT-FIELD TECHNIQUE. PROBABLY TOO MUCH PWR; ACFT STARTED TO FLOAT. STUDENT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CTL IN XWIND. I SUGGESTED A GAR. STUDENT APPLIED FULL PWR BUT FAILED TO LOWER NOSE TO REGAIN FLYING SPD. STALL WARNING WAS CONSTANT ON. ACFT BEGAN OSCILLATING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE RWY TO THE OTHER; EVEN BEYOND RWY EDGE. IT'S AT THIS TIME WE MAY HAVE CLIPPED A RWY LIGHT POST. (INSPECTION AFTER LNDG REVEALED NO NOTICEABLE DAMAGE TO ACFT.) I TOOK CTLS; COMMANDED STUDENT TO RELEASE ALL CTLS AND PRESSURES; REGAINED FLYING SPD; REGAINED CTL OF THE ACFT; AND BEGAN TO CLB OUT. I FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO OUR HOME BASE AND LANDED. I WASN'T SURE WHETHER WE'D HIT A LIGHT; AND IF A TIRE WAS FLAT AS A RESULT; I WANTED TO BE ON THE CTLS AT TOUCHDOWN. THIS INCIDENT RESULTED FROM MY HESITATION IN CORRECTING STUDENT FOR A 'LOW AND SLOW' CONDITION -- IN THE HOPES HE WOULD SEE THE RESULT OF HIS ACTIONS. LITTLE DID I KNOW HE WOULD FREEZE ON THE CTLS AND STOP COUNTERING THE XWIND. THIS STUDENT'S INITIAL TRAINING IN XWIND CORRECTION AND LNDG TECHNIQUES WAS CLEARLY DEFICIENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.