What happened
On November 13, 2000, a Beechcraft E90, registration F-GIML, operated by Champagne Airlines, was conducting a training flight from Paris Le Bourget to Reims Prunay. The crew, consisting of an instructor and a trainee pilot, intended to perform a simulated single-engine failure exercise.
As the aircraft approached Reims Prunay, the crew announced their intention to perform a go-around with a simulated engine failure. During the maneuver, the aircraft experienced a severe left bank, struck the ground heavily, and caught fire. The impact occurred in a plowed field approximately 470 meters beyond the threshold of runway 25. The accident resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
The investigation examined the wreckage, engines, and propellers, as well as the flight controls and crew performance. Investigators found that the left propeller was in the feathered position while the right engine was delivering power. The aircraft was in a high-drag configuration at the time of the accident, with the landing gear extended and the flaps fully deployed.
Analysis of the flight controls revealed that the rudder trim was set to a left deflection of 10 degrees, and the left aileron was deflected 11 degrees downward. The investigation also looked into the regulatory requirements for single-engine training maneuvers and the specific procedures outlined in the aircraft's flight manual.
Findings
- The crew performed a single-engine go-around at a very low altitude.
- The aircraft was in an unfavorable configuration characterized by high drag due to the extended landing gear and full flaps.
- The application of high power to the operating engine (number 2) created significant asymmetric thrust, leading to a loss of directional control.
- The relationship of trust between the experienced instructor and the trainee may have reduced their critical oversight during the maneuver.
- There was a lack of specific instructions in the flight manual regarding flap settings during single-engine go-around training.