Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6; Flight Crew Total 2450
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Aircraft
I am a flight instructor.  I was giving a flight review to a professional pilot in his personal A36 Beech Bonanza.  The pilot IFR in high-performance aircraft; but seldom flies VFR or practices basic flight maneuvers; so I emphasized these operations during the flight phase of the review.  My goal was to review slow flight and stalls; emergency procedures; ground reference maneuvers; takeoffs and landings.  Both the pilot and myself have experience in Beech Bonanzas; although I had not flown that make and model in many years. Prior to entering the airplane; I instructed the pilot that we would be reviewing emergency procedures; but that I would only verbally tell him of an engine failure.  I would expect him to reduce power himself to simulate an engine out (since he was flying his own airplane I would expect him to manage the power reduction in a manner that would not result in any damage to the engine.) The initial takeoff and subsequent slow flight and stalls were conducted at 3;000 AGL; progressed normally.  We simulated an engine fire by my verbally telling him smoke was billowing from the cowling.  The pilot properly took the corrective actions; including an emergency descent.  I instructed him to not descend below 2;500 MSL; which was about 1;100 feet AGL.  He correctly recovered and we discussed how he would have landed in the chosen field.  We then progressed to ground reference maneuvers -- turns around a point and S-turns along a road.  I then instructed the pilot to return to the airport. As we started the climb; I asked the pilot to simulate a low-altitude engine loss.  The pilot retarded the throttle and correctly trimmed the airplane; selected a field; and performed an emergency checklist.  I again instructed him to terminate the procedure at 2;400 MSL (1;000 AGL).  We passed through 2;400 MSL; and I initially thought the pilot had missed the target altitude; however it soon became clear that the engine was not responding.  I noted that this was a real engine failure and we continued our approach to the field.  The engine coughed and sputtered several times; providing sporadic power. We lowered the landing gear and I noted that we were committed to landing at that point. We continued the approach and landed in a hay field on an upslope.  Halfway up the slope there was a slight berm; perhaps an old road or hedgerow.  We believe that is what caused the nose wheel to collapse.  The aircraft came to a stop well short of the trees on the opposite end of the field; and neither of us were injured.  We exited the airplane.  I noticed that the rotating beacon was still on; and re-entered the airplane to turn off all switches. No damage was sustained to property other than the airplane itself; and no one was injured. I cannot find fault with either myself or the pilot.  I had established an operational floor 1;000 AGL; which we did not violate until the engine failed. The pilot reacted correctly in so far as I could tell; although I could not visually verify all of the controls due to the position and size of the yoke.
BE36 instructor reported an engine failure during a training exercise.