Travelair 95
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 125.9; Flight Crew Total 22537; Flight Crew Type 29.3
Troubleshooting; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
On a multiengine training flight the Commercial ASEL rated student pilot was at the controls of the aircraft. With the 'pre-landing' and 'landing checklist' complete; we had been cleared to land on [Runway] XX at ZZZ. Descending through 500 AGL as part of my 'stabilized approach' check; I visually confirmed GUMPS complete with the mixture levers 'Rich' and the prop levers full forward 'High RPM'. During the normal round out / flare for landing on XX; the aircraft suddenly dropped and landed very hard and bounced back into the air approximately 10 to 15 feet AGL. I took control of the aircraft at this time and applied full throttle and rotated slightly to a Go Around attitude. The engines while running did not develop max thrust and the airplane did not accelerate normally. The aircraft drifted left of the runway; yawed to the left; rolled left and started to settle back to ground. As the roll to the left continued; I became concerned about flight at speeds below Vmc speed and departure of controlled flight. So I closed both throttles as I continued to apply right rudder pressure to align the aircraft with the direction of travel. As the aircraft drifted left and settled with the nose starting to rotate back to the right; I believe the left-wing tip touched the ground and helped to level the aircraft as the aircraft touched down slightly nose low and yawed slightly right of the direction of travel. The aircraft came to a stop. I was uninjured and asked the Commercial ASEL rated student pilot if she was ok and she replied yes. Our headsets and glasses had been thrown off during the landing. I put my headset back on as ZZZ's tower was calling our N number. I told them that we were alright but to please roll the airport CFR equipment and that I'd be securing the aircraft.While securing the aircraft ... fuel shut off valves - closed; mixture levers - idle cutoff; throttles - closed. It was then that I noticed that the propeller levers were in the 'Feather' detent instead of full forward in the 'low pitch' or high RPM position. Then it occurred to me that the rated student pilot had pulled the prop levers to the 'Feather' position instead of closing the throttles as the aircraft settled the last 5 to 10 feet for landing. This explained why the aircraft slammed down to a hard landing and bounced back into the air on what seemed to be a very normal round out / flare to landing. It also explains why the engines; while running - did not develop the required thrust and normal aircraft acceleration with full power applied. I continued with the rest of the shut-down. Avionics master - off; Generators - off; Magnetos L & R engines - off; battery switch off.'Human Performance Considerations'Reflecting on the round out / flare portion of the flight. My attention and focus were outside of the aircraft and down the runway. Concentrating on height; drift and runway alignment as appropriate. I didn't perceive the rated Commercial ASEL student pilot moving the prop levers to feather as opposed to reducing power to facilitate the landing. With the immediate reduction in thrust from the propellers as they started to move towards feather; the aircraft slammed down and bounced. I guard the throttle quadrant (hand below but near the throttles in the event of a go around). But I would not have perceived wrong lever movement. I was quick to respond to the bad bounce with full throttle on both engines but my attention was outside the aircraft in an attempt to control the aircraft. An additional human factor consideration. The Commercial ASEL rated student had previously flown a Cessna 172RG. The throttle/ prop arrangement working left to right is throttle/ propeller/ mixture. In the BE95 the power lever arrangement is propeller/ throttle/ mixture. This was only the second time the Commercial ASEL rate student pilot operated the BE95 type.
Instructor Pilot reported loss of control during landing;  by the student; due to improper landing procedure.