NTSB Factual Report

On February 9, 2001, at 1412 hours Pacific standard time, a Beech A36, N3191A, sustained substantial damage when the it struck the ground during an attempted go-around at the Palo Alto, California, airport. The private pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and was not injured. The personal local flight departed approximately 1400. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

When interviewed by National Transportation Safety Board investigators, the pilot stated that his intention was to practice takeoffs and landings. He extended downwind for spacing on a slower airplane, and recalls selecting approach flaps but does not recall checking the position of the flaps. The final approach was stable at 80 knots but when he was about 10 feet off the ground he sensed the airplane was sinking faster than normal and elected to go around. He added power but did not feel the engine respond. The airplane veered left and the left wing struck the ground, the left gear was sheared off, and the propeller was torn off the engine. The pilot said that after examining the airplane the flaps appeared to be up.

The airplane, equipped with a Rolls-Royce Model 250-B17F/2 Turboprop engine, had been purchased in August 2000. The pilot had received dual instruction in the airplane but his insurance carrier required he hold an instrument rating prior to acting as pilot-in-command. His instrument rating was received February 7, 2001. The pilot had received 107.9 hours of dual instruction in the airplane and the accident flight was his first solo flight in type.

A representative of Rolls-Royce Corporation participated in the investigation. No engine discrepancies were noted. However, the beta valve tie rod was displaced from the rod end connector. No signs of safety wire or damaged threads on the tie rod or rod end were noted. Upon removing the engine oil filter housing, no filter was found. It was noted that the compressor received leading edge damage to all first stage blades. Also, fuel control and fuel nozzle tests indicated no signs of malfunction.

A representative of Hartzell Propeller, Inc., the manufacturer of the propeller, participated in the investigation. The propeller blades were found in a high pitch/feather position. The piston had a clear impact mark, about 25 degrees blade angle. The representative explained that this is a realistic blade angle for a "power on" impact. The representative concluded that this mark indicated that the piston was at 25 degrees, or lower, blade angle prior to impact because the blades were driven to feather as a result of impact damage. He also found that the engine-mounted beta valve link arm was disconnected and the lockwire was missing from the jam nut.

A pilot taxiing on a taxiway parallel to the runway witnessed the accident. He stated that he saw the airplane flare approximately one wingspan's height above the runway and begin drifting to the left. The airplane continued drifting to the left in a very nose-high attitude. It drifted over the taxiway about 40 feet agl. The drift stopped and the right wing dropped. The right wing hit the grass between the taxiway and the runway and the airplane spun around and stopped on the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot-in-command's delayed decision to go-around and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the attempted go-around. His non-verification of the flap setting contributed to the accident.