This March 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Remos GX. Injuries: 2 Minor. Location: St. Charles, Missouri. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot in the left seat was undergoing a flight review. The flight instructor, who was seated in the right seat, reported that during the second landing attempt, while in the traffic pattern, he pulled the throttle to idle to simulate a loss of engine power. The pilot turned the airplane toward the approach end of an intersecting runway to set up for the simulated emergency landing. During the approach, he performed a 360° turn. When the airplane was about 50 feet above the ground, the CFI realized that the airplane was in too steep a bank for the airspeed and reached for the throttle control to restore engine power. At the same time the pilot applied full power to perform a go-around, but the application of power came too late and the airplane stalled and came down hard.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glide path and airspeed during a simulated emergency approach. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
For more information: NTSB.gov
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