Incident Overview
A pilot had departed Waycross, Georgia, on the morning of the accident for a cross-country flight to Manassas, Virginia. During the approach into Manassas, the aircraft contacted trees located off the approach ends of runways 34L and 34R. At the time, both runways were in use, and it is unknown which runway the pilot was attempting to land on.
Sequence of Events
Following the tree strike, the aircraft stalled and descended into an open field short of the airport, coming to rest between the extended centerlines of the two runways.
Investigative Findings
No evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction of the airplane or its engine was found. The visual approach slope indicator (VASI) lights for the affected runways had been out of service for at least one year prior to the accident.
Pilot Reports
Pilots familiar with the airport described the approaches to runways 34L and 34R as being like a 'black hole' due to the lack of visual references over the trees and field.