What happened
During an off-station training mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, the aircraft identified as Pacer 43 was performing pattern work. The crew was in the middle of a simulated single-engine approach toward runway 31 when the accident occurred. As the aircraft reached the stage of flight where it would typically transition into a flare, the pilot leveled the plane and initiated a climbing turn toward the tower to the west. The aircraft did not make contact with the runway before the turn began. During the flare, the aircraft veered to the left and briefly returned to a wings-level position while climbing.
As the crew applied power to the right engine to perform a go-around, the aircraft entered a progressively steeper left-hand bank. The bank angle increased until it exceeded 90 degrees. At the peak of the climb, which was approximately 450 feet, the aircraft was nearly inverted. The nose then dropped, and the aircraft entered a descent, ultimately impacting a grassy field.
Findings
Investigation into the mishap revealed a significant fuel imbalance between the aircraft's wings. Specifically, the left wing and the left wing tip tank contained a much higher volume of fuel than the right side. This discrepancy was caused by an unmonitored transfer of fuel from the right wing and right wing tip tank to the left side, a process that had been started by the crew roughly nine and a half minutes before the impact. The resulting weight disparity contributed to the loss of control during the go-around maneuver, resulting in one fatality.