N7KYBeech 76 · 1979

On February 21, 2019, about 1026 eastern standard time, a Beech 76 airplane, N7KY, collided with terrain during an aborted landing at Capital City Airport (FFT), Frankfurt, Kentucky. The commercial pilot was not injured and a flight instructor incurred minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was operated by Nexgen Aviation LLC as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Blue Grass Airport (LEX), Lexington, Kentucky about 0910, and was destined for FFT.

The rated pilot in the left seat was receiving instruction to obtain a commercial multiengine rating. According to the flight instructor in the right seat, a practice localizer approach to runway 25 at FFT was requested and they received vectors for the approach. The instructor briefed for the pilot to perform a simulated left engine out approach to a full stop. The emergency single engine procedure was briefed, the landing gear were lowered and the flaps were confirmed up. The left engine was set to zero thrust. While over runway 25, at a point between the runway numbers and the 1,000 ft mark on the runway, about 20 feet above the landing surface, the pilot under instruction added power to the right engine while below minimum controllable airspeed. This occurred before the flight instructor could stop him. The airplane reacted quickly with a yaw and roll to the left. The airplane contacted the ground between the runway and parallel taxiway, continued across the taxiway, and down an embankment. The airplane came to rest about 150 ft from the taxiway and caught fire. Both pilots egressed the airplane and were met by first responders.

The pilot receiving instruction reported that he maneuvered the airplane to an extended final approach to runway 25. Once established on final, he noticed that the altitude was lower than the previous approach. Once he determined that he had the runway "made," he began to reduce power on the right engine. The aircraft "settled low," so he added right throttle to re-establish the glide path. In doing so, he did not add the required control inputs of aileron and rudder. The approach became unstable, and he announced, "go around" and moved the right throttle full forward. The airplane immediately entered an uncontrollable left yaw and roll and struck the ground in a left-wing low attitude. He later reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. Both wings and the fuselage were structurally damaged from impact and the postaccident fire.