Visalia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kingsburg, California 93631
Thursday, August 17, 1995 13:14 PDT

The purpose of the flight was for the designated pilot examiner to reexamine the private pilot for a multiengine class rating flight test. During the previous flight test, the applicant pilot failed to maintain altitude during a simulated engine failure while flying a practice instrument approach under simulated instrument conditions. Thereafter, the pilot received 1.5 hours of remedial flight instruction from his flight instructor. During the accident flight test, radar data showed the airplane paralleling the outbound course of the VOR instrument approach at the procedure turn altitude. Witnesses observed the airplane descending in a flat spin and crash into an open field. Examination of the wreckage revealed the right engine's propeller blades had damage to all three blades consistent with rotation. The left engine's propeller blades had one blade undamaged and two blades bent aft. No evidence was found indicating that any of the blades had been feathered; and no evidence was found of any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane was equipped with a throw over type of control column for elevator and aileron control and was located in front of the applicant. The decision to use an airplane without dual flight controls is at the discretion of the examiner.

the failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed during a simulated engine failure to avoid an inadvertent stall/spin, and inadequate supervision by the designated pilot examiner. A factor in the accident was the decision of the examiner to use an airplane without dual flight controls during a multiengine airplane flight test.