NTSB Factual Report

On June 30, 2016, about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N44311, sustained substantial damage during an aborted landing at the Fairfield County Airport (FDW), Winnsboro, South Carolina. The flight instructor and the commercial pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private company. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at FDW about 1020. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The flight instructor stated that the accident flight was the first time he had flown with the commercial pilot and the purpose of the flight was to get him recurrent. The flight instructor said they had flown for about 2 hours before they returned to FDW and executed the RNAV approach to runway 22. When the airplane reached the decision altitude for the approach, they transitioned to a visual approach and prepared to land. The landing gear was already down and the flaps were extended to 25 degrees.

The commercial pilot was at the controls and flared the airplane over the runway numbers, but was too high. He advised the commercial pilot to lower the nose and add power, which he did. The commercial pilot again flared too high and the flight instructor was concerned that the airplane was going to stall and started to reach for the controls when the commercial pilot initiated a go-around. The flight instructor said the commercial pilot simultaneously pushed both throttles forward and the airplane suddenly rolled to the right while at a height about 2- to 4 ft above the ground. The flight instructor, who never took the controls at any time, said it felt like the left engine was producing more power than the right engine. The airplane's right wing and main landing gear struck the ground. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway, and spun about 180-degrees before coming to a stop upright.

Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the right wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. The landing gear, both engines, and their respective propellers were also damaged. Both engines and the airplane's fuel system were examined and no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were noted that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the accident. Examination of the horizontal stabilator trim revealed it was positioned toward the full nose-up position.

The flight instructor held a flight instructor certificate for airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He also held an airline transport pilot rating for single-engine airplane. His last FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on March 7, 2016. He reported a total of 6,482 hours of flight experience. Of those hours, 780 were in multiengine airplanes, of which, 500 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The commercial pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His last FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 21, 2016. He reported a total of 2,400 hours of flight experience. Of those hours, 1,900 hours were in multiengine airplanes, of which, 0 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The weather conditions reported at FDW, about the time of the accident included wind from 100 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and overcast clouds at 1,800 ft.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during a go-around, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's nose-up trim setting, which further increased its angle of attack upon application of engine power during the go-around.