ERA20CA143

Factual narrative

The flight instructor of the multi-engine airplane reported that, the student pilot was practicing a simulated in-flight engine failure to a landing. The left engine's was set to about 12% power, simulating a feathered propeller engine failure. While on finial approach to land, the airplane started to drift to the right of the runway, and the student pilot reported that he was having difficulty controlling the airplane during the single engine approach due to the strong wind that prevailed. The instructor reported that he told the student to use more left rudder, but the airplane continued to drift right. The student decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around by advancing both engines to full power. During the go-around, the airplane drifted to left, the instructor took the flight controls and applied full right rudder. The airplane continued drifting to the left, descended, impacted vegetation, and the landing gear collapsed. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and empennage. At the time of the accident a wind from 40 degrees right of the runway centerline at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots prevailed. The calculated crosswind component was from the right at between 6 and 10 knots. The flight instructor reported that the pilot receiving instruction was practicing a simulated single-engine failure to a landing in the multiengine airplane. The left engine was set to about 12% power, simulating a feathered propeller engine failure. While on final approach to land, the airplane started to drift right of the runway, and the pilot receiving instruction reported that he was having difficulty controlling the airplane due to strong prevailing winds. The instructor reported that he told the pilot receiving instruction to use more left rudder, but the airplane continued to drift right. The pilot receiving instruction decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around by advancing both engines to full power. During the go-around, the airplane drifted left and then the instructor took the flight controls and applied full right rudder. The airplane continued drifting left, descended, and impacted vegetation, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and empennage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A crosswind component of between 6 and 10 knots existed. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation - C
• C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Tree(s)-Contributed to outcome