What happened
On September 24, 2013, a PA-34-200T Seneca, registration OK-DKP, was conducting a practical flight test at Jaroměř airport (LKJA). The flight examiner was evaluating a student pilot for a Multi-Engine Piston (MEP) land qualification. The session was being conducted in English to accommodate the student's nationality.
During the final phase of an approach maneuver—simulating an emergency involving fire and smoke—the examiner issued a command to set the propeller controls to a fine pitch ("propeller forward"). The student pilot misheard the instruction as a command to adjust the throttles. After initially increasing power, the student realized the error and, in an attempt to correct it, abruptly closed the engine power. This sudden loss of thrust caused the aircraft to sink rapidly, resulting in a hard impact with the ground approximately 77 meters before the threshold of runway 3/32.
Following the impact and a subsequent bounce, the examiner took control, increased power, and stabilized the aircraft. The crew then diverted to Hradec Králové (LKHK), where they performed safety checks and landed with the gear extended. No injuries were reported among the crew.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight test protocol, the pilot's credentials, and the physical condition of the aircraft. The examiner was found to be fully qualified with extensive experience, and the student pilot held all necessary licenses and medical certifications.
Technical inspections at an authorized service center revealed significant structural damage caused by the high-energy impact. Findings included bent landing gear struts on both sides, deformed wing ribs near the landing gear wells, and structural damage to the fuselage skin and the vertical stabilizer. The aircraft was subsequently removed from service for repairs.
Findings
- The primary cause of the loss of altitude was the sudden reduction of engine power by the student pilot.
- A linguistic misunderstanding occurred because the command "propeller forward" was confused with "throttles forward" due to the phonetic similarity of the terms in English.
- The student's attempt to rapidly correct the initial mistake (increasing throttle) led to the fatal error of cutting power at a critical phase of the approach.
- The aircraft's configuration and airspeed at the moment of power reduction left insufficient margin to prevent the sink rate.