Beech 95-A55 N71BM accident near Millville, New Jersey

Probable cause

The pilot receiving instruction failed to maintain airplane control during the simulated engine-out landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to take timely remedial action.

NTSB analysis

The pilot receiving instruction was conducting a simulated engine-out emergency landing when the accident occurred. Several eyewitnesses reported that the airplane began to roll to the left while it was in flight. One eyewitness reported hearing the airplane's engines increase in power. During postaccident interviews, the flight instructor stated that the left engine was at the idle power setting to simulate the engine failure for landing; however, he could not recall the events that took place during the accident sequence. Examination of the airframe and engines revealed no anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the private pilot’s medical history revealed nothing to suggest a medical cause for impairment or incapacitation. Therefore, it is likely that during the landing flare, the pilot receiving instruction added power to the right engine and failed to properly compensate for the increased asymmetrical thrust, which resulted in a loss of control.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA12LA535 for the full record.