What happened
During a night visual approach, the co-pilot performed a flare that was too high above the runway surface. As the Beech 99 continued to float along the runway, the airspeed began to drop, prompting the pilot-in-command to take control of the aircraft. Fearing an imminent stall, the pilot-in-command attempted to execute a go-around.
However, the aircraft became extremely difficult to maneuver during this transition. The pilot-in-command was forced to use both hands on the control wheel to maintain stability because the aircraft had been trimmed to a full nose-up position during the initial landing flare. Although the co-pilot advanced the throttles to maximum power and started retracting the flaps, the maneuver could not be completed successfully.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the aircraft's trim configuration was a primary factor in the loss of control. It was discovered that the operator's standard training for both crew members involved applying full nose-up trim after passing the runway threshold and reducing power to idle. This specific procedure was found to be inconsistent with the official instructions provided in the Beech 99 Pilots Operating Manual. The operator subsequently removed this practice from their landing sequence procedures following the accident.