N40805

On September 5, 1998, about 1357 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N40805, registered to Florida Aviation Career Training, Inc., crashed during a go-around at St. Augustine Airport, St. Augustine, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the airline transport-rated flight instructor and dual student were not injured. The flight originated from St. Augustine, the same day, about 1250.

The instructor stated that during the landing flare they initiated a go-around due to uncertainty as to the position of the landing gear. The aircraft initially climbed and then rolled to the left and descended. The aircraft struck the ground left wing tip first followed by the nose and then came to rest.

Examination of runway 13 by an FAA inspector showed a series of perpendicular slash marks on the left side of the runway center line starting at 1,200 feet from the approach end threshold and again at 1,750 feet. At 2,200 feet, slash marks appear on both sides of the runway center line. At 3,200 feet, slash marks appear on the left side of the center line.

Examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector after the accident showed the landing gear handle was in the landing gear retracted position. The left propeller was curled over on itself about two-thirds of the blade length. The right hand propeller was curled over on itself about one-third of the blade length.