NYC94LA021

During a single engine approach and landing the CFI set the right engine to zero thrust. On final approach with the landing gear and flaps extended, the student pilot elected to go-around single engine. The go-around was started at an altitude of approximately 50 feet above the ground. The left wing came up quickly and the CFI attempted to get power on the right engine. The engine did not respond and the CFI took control of the airplane. Before the CFI could get the airplane under control the airplane drifted to the right of the runway centerline; the right wing struck the ground; and the airplane slid about 300 to 400 feet before it came to rest. The investigation did not disclose evidence of malfunction. According to the PA-34-200'S flight manual, single engine go-around is not recommended, and '...the sudden application of power during single engine operation makes control of the airplane more difficult.'

HISTORY of FLIGHT

On Sunday, October 24, 1993, at about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N2874T, piloted by a certified flight instructor (CFI), Mr. Robert Ackerman and a student pilot, Mr. Eric Pullins, collided with the terrain during a single engine go-around at the Woods County Airport, Bowling Green, Ohio. The airplane was substantially damaged. Both pilots were not injured.

The passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.

According to the CFI, after he reduced the power on the right engine to zero thrust he checked the engine to make sure it was still operating. After verifying the operation of the engine, he returned the engine to zero thrust, and the student pilot turned the airplane onto approximately a two mile final approach. There was one airplane ahead of them on final approach, and the CFI said he did not consider that airplane was a factor, but he did say that the student thought the other traffic might be conflicting.

According to the CFI's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:

...Mr. Pullins [ the student pilot] queried as to whether we should continue or go-around to which I answered let's continue...just inside one half mile on final our airspeed was 115 MPH and Mr. Pullins began configuring the aircraft for landing...[at] about 50 feet in the air approximately 500 feet from the end of the runway...[I observed] the airplane in front of us was about 1,100 feet down the runway...I thought they were turning off the runway...

The student pilot then said to the CFI that he was going around,and the CFI said, "...no let's land." The CFI then said:

" At this time I noted that our airspeed was about 98 MPH, just under 100. To my surprise Mr. Pullins began the balked landing procedure raising the nose of the aircraft and pushing the left throttle forward..."

At this time the CFI said, "I repeated no, land and I tried to get the airplane coming down to land on the runway." The left wing came up quickly and the CFI said they tried to get power to the right engine, but the engine did not respond. The student pilot turned control of the airplane over to the CFI, and before the CFI could get the airplane under control the airplane drifted to right of the runway center line; the right wing struck the ground; and the airplane slid about 300 to 400 feet before it came to rest.

According to FAA Inspector, Mr. Perroz, the airplane and right engine examination revealed no discrepancies. According to Mr. Perroz's report:

...the Flight Manual recommends not doing a single- engine go-around. The wind at the time (230 at 13 with gusts) presented a gusting left quartering crosswind. The right engine not responding presented a difficult condition when the left wing started to rise and the nose yawed to the right. In the correct configuration i.e., the landing gear up and the flaps up, the aircraft would achieve a rate of climb of 340 FT/MIN at 1000 MPH...

Additional information

According to the Piper PA-34-200's Flight Manual:

...a final approach speed of 105 miles per hour and 25 degrees rather than full wing flaps will place the airplane in the best configuration for a go- around should this be necessary, but it should be avoided if at all possible...and in any event the sudden application of power during single engine operation makes control of the airplane more difficult.