Incident Summary
A pilot reported that the aircraft encountered a downdraft while on short final approach to a runway. The pilot applied power to counter the increased sink rate and elected to retract the wing flaps to reduce drag. However, the flaps were retracted to the full up position. Additionally, to avoid a steep embankment at the approach end of the runway, the pilot turned the aircraft slightly to the left. Despite these actions, the aircraft continued to settle and subsequently struck the ground approximately 150 feet left of the runway centerline and 5 feet below the crest of a slope.
Weather Conditions
A nearby weather station in Dayton, Ohio, reported the wind as from 250 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 22 knots.
Pilot Actions
The pilot's reported actions included applying power, retracting flaps fully, and turning left to avoid an embankment. The sequence of these actions was not specified in the report.