Opa Locka Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Opa Locka, Florida 33054
Monday, October 11, 1999 20:24 EDT

It was the first officer's leg and after bringing both power levers to flight idle while on final approach at 30-50 feet, the captain later reported hearing, 'both engines go into a ground idle.' She verified that both power levers were forward of the gate, then noted the sink rate increased. The airplane bounced then after touchdown, the captain brought both power levers to ground idle; the airplane veered to the right. She attempted to maintain runway centerline with asymmetric reverse but the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. The airplane touched down 484 feet from the approach end of the runway; distance between the first and second gouge in the runway from the right propeller indicates the ground speed was 92 knots. Examination of the airplane revealed compression wrinkles on the lower wing skin at the wing splice location. Rigging check of both engine controls revealed no evidence of improper rigging at the flight idle position; improper rigging was noted at the low and high reverse positions for the right engine. Previous discrepancies were written up pertaining to asymmetric reverse. No previous reports of high rates of descent when power levers brought to flight idle position.

The improper flare by the co-pilot, and the failure of the captain to take remedial action by applying power to arrest the observed high rate of descent resulting in a hard landing. A finding in the accident was the inadequate maintenance adjustment of the right engine controls which diminished directional control capability while on the runway following the hard landing.