Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 9650; Flight Crew Type 70
Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Aircraft; Weather
IFR student at the controls for GPS approach with partial panel. Student suddenly lost control of the aircraft; I suspect with very large banking and the aircraft went very quickly from 3;000 feet MSL to 600 feet MSL. With airspeed at red line. CFII took control of the aircraft; stopped the descent and climbed back up to 3;000 feet MSL. The Attitude Indicator and Directional Gyro instruments had tumbled and were unusable. We were vectored again for the approach and landed safely. The CFII's iPad resting on his left knee was found after landing in the rear of the baggage area; about 7 feet distance. Incident was very scary and happened so fast. CFII will no longer do partial panel in night or day IMC.
Pilot on partial panel GPS approach during a night IFR training flight lost control of the aircraft. Instructor regained control of the aircraft; was vectored for the approach and landed.