What happened
During a flight intended to revalidate a command instrument rating, an aircraft crashed at Darwin Airport in the Northern Territory shortly after departing from runway 29. The flight was being conducted under the supervision of a training and checking captain, who was seated in the co-pilot position. The procedure being performed involved a simulated engine failure during the takeoff phase.
As the maneuver commenced, the pilot in command reduced the left power lever to flight idle. This action triggered a simulated failure of both the left engine and the propeller autofeathering system. The resulting windmilling propeller created significant drag, which increased the physical control forces necessary to keep the aircraft on its intended flightpath.
Findings
Flight recorder data indicates that the pilot under check allowed the aircraft's airspeed to drop while the plane banked toward the side of the simulated failure. In an effort to stabilize the flight, the pilot increased power on the right engine and engaged the yaw damper. These corrective actions significantly increased the pilot's workload and complicated aircraft control. The failure to restore power to the left engine to abort the maneuver prevented the crew from recovering. The timeframe between the onset of the instability and the loss of control was too brief to allow for effective troubleshooting or decision-making. The accident resulted in 2 fatalities.