What happened
The pilot was conducting a circle-to-land approach when the flight encountered rain and fog approximately three miles from the airport. During this phase, the pilot observed an unexpectedly high rate of descent. In response, the pilot applied additional power to execute a go-around maneuver with the landing gear down and flaps extended to ten degrees.
The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground 2.4 miles from the runway threshold. Upon impact, the aircraft nosed over in a marshy area. The pilot reported that there was no engine failure or mechanical malfunction prior to the incident.
The investigation
Examination of the event revealed that the pilot had attempted to recover from a high descent rate by adding power during a go-around. However, the maneuver was not completed successfully before ground contact occurred. The pilot confirmed that the aircraft systems were functioning normally at the time of the event.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this accident included the encounter with rain and fog which likely reduced visibility and situational awareness. The decision to continue the approach into deteriorating weather conditions played a significant role. Additionally, the high rate of descent observed by the pilot indicates a loss of energy management during the final approach segment.
The impact occurred in a low-lying area, resulting in the aircraft nosing over. The lack of engine failure suggests that the accident was not caused by mechanical issues but rather by operational factors related to weather and flight path control.