What happened
The incident occurred during an approach and landing phase on a sod runway. According to witness accounts, the aircraft made contact with the ground before the pilot initiated a recovery maneuver. Observers noted a sharp pull-up followed by an increase in engine power immediately after the initial impact. Despite this attempt to regain altitude, the aircraft descended back into the terrain.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the airframe and systems was conducted to determine the mechanical status of the aircraft at the time of the event. Investigators specifically inspected the landing gear mechanism to rule out equipment failure as a contributing factor.
Findings
The investigation revealed that there was no malfunction of the landing gear systems. The primary factor in the accident was determined to be the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to touchdown on the sod strip.