On May 27, 1998, a Cessna 320B (registration N986J) was involved in an aviation accident near Rockport, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a go around which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Factors were the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model aircraft, his failure to follow the before landing checklist, and his improper use of the… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Cessna 320B impacted two parked unoccupied airplanes after losing control during a go-around. The pilot reported engine power asymmetry and insufficient altitude to recover.
Accident
A Cessna 320B collided with two parked, unoccupied single-engine airplanes after a loss of control during a go-around. The incident occurred when the aircraft was on short final approach at an altitude of approximately 40 feet above ground level.
Sequence of Events
The pilot initiated a go-around by first advancing the throttles, followed by the propeller controls. According to the pilot, the engines appeared to 'bog down', with the right engine either clearing first or producing more power than the left. The airplane subsequently began to bank to the left while losing airspeed and altitude. The pilot stated that he did not have sufficient time or altitude to correct the situation. The aircraft then impacted a taxiway with its nose and left wing before sliding onto a ramp and colliding with two parked airplanes.
Pilot Experience and Checklist
The pilot had accumulated a total of 15 flight hours in multiengine airplanes, of which 4.3 hours were in the Cessna 320B. According to the Cessna 320B owner's manual, advancing the propeller controls to the high rpm position was the fifth item listed in the 'Before Landing' checklist.