What happened
The incident occurred while an instructor pilot was conducting training maneuvers for a multi-engine instructor rating. The specific exercise involved shutting down one engine to simulate a failure, after which the pilot was required to restart it. Following the shutdown, the engine failed to restart. Consequently, the instructor decided to divert and land at the nearest available airport.
While on final approach to the runway, another aircraft landed ahead of them but did not clear the active runway despite being instructed to do so by air traffic control or ground personnel. Faced with a blocked runway, the instructor initiated a go-around procedure. However, because the engine had not been restarted, this was a single-engine maneuver performed with the landing gear still extended.
The aircraft lacked sufficient performance to gain both altitude and airspeed effectively under these conditions. The pilot lost control of the airplane as it began to roll over. The left wing struck the ground first, causing the aircraft to cartwheel to the right before coming to rest approximately 75 feet from the end of the runway.
The investigation
Federal Aviation Administration investigators examined the engine starter system to determine if a mechanical defect contributed to the inability to restart the engine during the initial training phase. The examination disclosed no mechanical failure of the starter component, suggesting the issue may have been procedural or related to other non-mechanical factors.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the loss of control during a single-engine go-around with the landing gear down. This maneuver required more power and lift than the aircraft could generate with one engine inoperative and high drag from the extended gear. The immediate trigger was the runway incursion by another aircraft that failed to exit the active surface when requested.
The inability to restart the engine during the initial training segment forced a diversion, but the critical error occurred during the emergency landing attempt where the performance limitations of a single-engine go-around with gear down were not adequately managed or anticipated given the blocked runway scenario.