Synopsis
On 27 June 1999, at 1620 UTC, a Piper PA-34-200 twin-engine aircraft, registration G-EMER, sustained damage when its left propeller and left wingtip struck the runway surface during a training flight at Old Sarum Aerodrome, Wiltshire. The aircraft was conducting asymmetric power exercises in the traffic pattern. No injuries were reported among the two crew members and one passenger.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft was a 1973 Piper PA-34-200, powered by two Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 piston engines. The commander held a Commercial Pilot's Licence with an Instrument Rating, aged 49, with a total flying experience of 1,160 hours, including 367 hours on type. The flight was a private training sortie with an instructor and a student pilot. The student had completed four previous training flights with the instructor over the preceding two weeks, with satisfactory progress.
Flight and Weather Conditions
The flight was conducted at Old Sarum Aerodrome, using runway 24, a grass surface with a published landing distance of 731 meters. The surface wind was from 300 degrees at 12 knots, visibility exceeded 10 kilometers, and scattered cloud was present at 2,500 feet. A right-hand traffic pattern was in use.
Event Sequence
The crew had completed several asymmetric exercises, including a single-engine go-around, without issue. They then prepared for a single-engine landing with the left engine throttled back to simulate zero thrust. The visual approach appeared normal until just before the flare, when the student pilot noticed a decrease in airspeed and the aircraft began to sink and drift left. The student increased power on the right engine, which induced a roll to the left. Rudder was applied, but shortly thereafter the left propeller and left wingtip contacted the runway. The instructor took control, completed the landing, and taxied the aircraft to the parking area.
Damage
The left engine sustained a shock load, and the left outer wing was replaced.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was stated in the investigation source.