Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary LAX99LA124

DILLINGHAM, HI, USA

Aircraft #1

N199Q

Beech D95A

Analysis

The instructor and pilot trainee were performing a simulated single engine approach with the right engine throttle retarded. The CFI reported that they experienced a strong crosswind gust just prior to touchdown and the left wing was lifted upward. He stated that all efforts to regain control with the full left aileron and left rudder failed. The airplane continued to bank just above the ground. The right wing struck the ground and the aircraft landed hard. The landing gear was sheared off and the aircraft came to rest upright 180 degrees from the direction of flight. The pilot reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from about 060 degrees with gusts to 25 knots. The pilot trainee reported that he was on the controls until the wing struck the ground. He further reported that he had not tried to apply power or attempt a go-around. A ground witness who is a multiengine rated pilot, heard the aircraft call 'engine out' over the frequency while on approach. He observed that the airplane appeared to be very slow and was in a left yaw headed 20 to 30 degrees off the runway heading. The aircraft then rapidly turned right with the nose still high, and crossed over into the grass area between the runway and parallel taxiway. The right wing tip dug into the sod. The witness stated that the aircraft then impacted the ground and sheared the landing gear. A second witness, also a multiengine rated pilot, reported that he too thought that the approach seemed too slow for that type of aircraft and stated that he had not heard any power increases to try to go around. The aircraft was examined after the accident, with control system continuity established, and the rudder pedals and rudder control brackets were in place.

Factual Information

On March 19, 1999, about 1237 hours Hawaiian standard time, a Beech D95A, N199Q, dragged the right wing tip and collided with the ground while landing at the Dillingham, Hawaii, airport. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the private pilot, who was undergoing instruction for a multiengine rating, were not injured. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and the aircraft was operated by Anderson Aviation, Mililani, Hawaii. The local flight originated at the Honolulu International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii, about 1115. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Honolulu Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) responded to the accident site and interviewed the CFI, the pilot trainee, and a ground witness. The CFI reported that they had completed two normal landings to runway 8. On their third attempt, they performed a simulated single engine approach with the right engine throttle retarded. The CFI reported that they experienced a strong wind gust just prior to touchdown and the left wing was lifted upward. He further reported that all efforts to regain control with the full left aileron and left rudder failed. The airplane continued to bank just above the ground. The right wing struck the ground and the aircraft landed hard. The landing gear was sheared off and the aircraft came to rest upright 180 degrees from the direction of flight. The pilot reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from about 060 degrees with gusts to 25 knots. The pilot trainee reported that he was on the controls until the wing struck the ground. He further reported that he had not tried to apply power or attempt a go-around. The ground witness, a multiengine rated pilot, was in the unicom tower at the time of the accident. He reported that he heard N199Q call "engine out" over the unicom frequency while on approach. The aircraft appeared to be very slow. He noted that the aircraft was in a left yaw and headed 20 to 30 degrees off the runway heading. The aircraft then rapidly turned right with a nose high attitude and high left wing. After leveling out, the aircraft turned right again, with the nose still high, and crossed over into the grass area between the runway and the parallel taxiway. The right wing tip dug into the sod. The witness reported that the aircraft then impacted the ground and sheared the landing gear. A second witness, also a multiengine rated pilot, reported that he thought the approach seemed too slow for that type of aircraft, and stated that he had not heard any power increases to try to go around. The aircraft was examined after the accident. Control system continuity was established and the rudder pedals and rudder control brackets were in place.

Probable Cause and Findings

The student's failure to maintain aircraft control in the gusty crosswind conditions due to limited left yaw authority induced by the simulated single engine approach. The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight and his failure to terminate the simulated single engine approach when the aircraft encountered control difficulties were also causal.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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