Incident Details
According to the accident report, the pilot was inbound to Danbury Airport when advised that the airport was closed. The pilot was also given the last weather observation, which was one hour old. Witnesses observed the aircraft pass over the airport at an altitude of 300-400 feet above ground level (AGL) before circling to land on Runway 8. The aircraft turned base and final in a tight turn with the landing gear extended. It then dropped quickly and struck the runway threshold left wing first, followed by a pancake landing and skidding onto the grass.
Weather and Conditions
One witness estimated the weather conditions as a solid 300-foot ceiling and ½-mile visibility with solid sheets of rain. The minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach when the tower is closed is 1,960 feet (1,500 feet AGL). The aircraft's approach was significantly below this altitude during the circling maneuver.
Weight Information
The aircraft was determined to be approximately 118 pounds over its maximum gross weight at the time of the accident.