agree with the last few post , every thing I have read is that this plane was a gem , and it simply needed some down thrust and a new front gear leg and also some smaller wheels on the front , all fine tweeks (not ones that will be needed to save the plane)

Something else is wrong , one thing in defence of any instructor , they trust that the cg , and the lateral balance is in check , batterys charged fully , ect ect .
Instructors can visually see bad things like poor connectors , clevises ect , but they usually cant see CG problem , incidence problems , engines that were not broken in properly , they trust in the owner for that .