ERA14CA213

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 76 · Fort Pierce, FL · April 29, 2014

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 29, 2014, 13:42 local (17:42 UTC)
Place
Fort Pierce, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N6756XBeech 76
Defining event
Landing: Landing area undershoot
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 21, 2014
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20140429005079A
Case key
89138

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The instructor's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point in a multiengine airplane, during a single-engine approach in a strong gusty headwind.

Findings · 4

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedBeech 76: 2 casesAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilotBeech 76: 11 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: high windEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationBeech 76: 1 caseAll aircraft: 112 cases
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationBeech 76: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,199 cases

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The instructor of the multiengine airplane reported that he and the student pilot had intentionally shutdown and secured the right engine for training purposes; however, they were unable to get it restarted. The instructor then flew the airplane back to the departure airport and extended the landing gear while on a 2-mile left base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 14. After the landing gear was extended, the instructor noticed a high descent rate and subsequently raised the landing gear, which arrested the descent. At that point, the tower controller reported that the wind was from 130 degrees at 20 knots, gusting to 35 knots. The instructor extended the landing gear again when the airplane was established on final approach at the proper glidepath, but the descent rate again increased and the wind started to gust on short final approach. The airplane subsequently touched down prior to the approach end of runway 14, in a grass drainage basin of a perpendicular runway. During the landing, the right wing struck the ground and the nosegear collapsed before the airplane came to rest upright in the basin. With the exception of the inability to restart the right engine, the instructor did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.

Factual narrative

The instructor of the multiengine airplane reported that he and the student pilot had intentionally shutdown and secured the right engine for training purposes; however, they were unable to get it restarted. The instructor then flew the airplane back to the departure airport and extended the landing gear while on a 2-mile left base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 14. After the landing gear was extended, the instructor noticed a high descent rate and subsequently raised the landing gear, which arrested the descent. At that point, the tower controller reported that the wind was from 130 degrees at 20 knots, gusting to 35 knots. The instructor extended the landing gear again when the airplane was established on final approach at the proper glidepath, but the descent rate again increased and the wind started to gust on short final approach. The airplane subsequently touched down prior to the approach end of runway 14, in a grass drainage basin of a perpendicular runway. During the landing, the right wing struck the ground and the nosegear collapsed before the airplane came to rest upright in the basin. With the exception of the inability to restart the right engine, the instructor did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.

Aircraft

Registration
N6756X
Reported as
Beech 76
Category
Airplane
Serial number
ME-346
Built
1980
Airframe hours
12,489
Engines
Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming LO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Ari Ben Aviator Inc, doing business as Aviator College of Aeronautical Science & Technolo
Registered owner
Ari Ben Aviator Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · April 8, 2014 · 49 hours before
Departed
FPR · Fort Pierce, FL
Destination
FPR · Fort Pierce, FL
Airport
FPR · St Lucie County International, runway 14, 4,755 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
48
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 1, 2013
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
1,335 total · 76 in this make and model · 1,183 as pilot in command · 145 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
20
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 27, 2013
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
267 total · 166 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
120° at 22 knots, gusting 30
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
29.95 inHg
Observed at
FPR

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 859 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.