What happened
The aircraft was operating on final approach when the pilot recognized that the airplane was positioned too high above the runway threshold. To correct the descent profile, the pilot deployed the full flap configuration and continued the landing attempt. However, the excessive energy resulted in the aircraft floating along the runway surface rather than settling onto the pavement. The main gear finally made contact with the runway near the far end.
Upon touchdown, the pilot determined that there was not enough remaining runway distance to bring the airplane to a safe stop. In response, the pilot applied full engine power to initiate a go-around maneuver. Crucially, the flaps were not retracted during this critical phase of flight. As the aircraft accelerated down the remaining pavement, it ran off the end of the runway.
The terrain at the end of the runway dropped away several feet, providing a small initial lift as the airplane became airborne again. However, because the flaps remained extended and the aircraft had not gained sufficient airspeed or altitude, the airplane was unable to clear nearby obstructions. The flight ended in a crash following this failed attempt to recover from the aborted landing.
The investigation
Examination of the event focused on the pilot's decision-making during the approach and the subsequent go-around. The key mechanical factor identified was the failure to retract the flaps during the power application phase. This configuration created excessive drag, preventing the aircraft from climbing effectively after leaving the runway surface.
Findings
The primary contributing factors were the high final approach path which led to a long float, and the subsequent decision to apply full power without changing the flap configuration. The lack of flap retraction critically degraded climb performance, resulting in the inability to clear obstacles after running off the runway end.