The CFI of the Beech 76 reported that he and the student pilot had intentionally shut down and secured the right engine for training purposes, however they were unable to get it restarted. The instructor then flew the airplane back to the airport in Fort Pierce, Florida, and extended the landing gear while on a two-mile left base leg of the traffic pattern for Runway 14.
After the landing gear was extended, the CFI noticed a high descent rate and subsequently raised the landing gear, which arrested the descent. At that point, the tower controller reported that the wind was from 130° at 20 knots, gusting to 35 knots.
The instructor extended the landing gear again when the plane was established on final approach at the proper glidepath, but the descent rate again increased and the wind started to gust on short final approach. The plane subsequently touched down prior to the approach end of the runway, in a grass drainage basin of a perpendicular runway.
During the landing, the right wing hit the ground and the nosegear collapsed before the plane came to rest upright in the basin.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the instructor’s failure to obtain the proper touchdown point in a multiengine airplane, during a single-engine approach in a strong gusty headwind.
NTSB Identification: ERA14CA213
This April 2014 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.
Bob Hoover would remind this Flight Instructor to practice “Energy Management”.