Incident Overview
A single-engine airplane impacted terrain during a night visual approach conducted in darkness. The pilot was aware of a NOTAM (09-051) indicating that the runway lights for runway 07/25 were out of service, although he had been informed that the lights might be restored by the time of his arrival.
Sequence of Events
While performing the before-landing checklist, the pilot extended the flaps to the "full down instead of approach position," which initiated an inadvertent descent. The pilot then became distracted by ongoing attempts to activate the runway lights. As the airplane descended below 1,400 feet mean sea level (msl), the altitude alert sounded to notify the pilot of the airplane's altitude.
Upon turning onto the final approach leg at 900 feet msl, the pilot recognized that he was not aligned with the runway and decided to proceed to another airport. While wiping condensation (fog) from the front windshield, the pilot noticed a blue reflection from taxiway lights. He initiated a go-around, and simultaneously, the airplane impacted the ground.
Flight Conditions
The approach was conducted under dark night conditions, with the runway lights confirmed to be out of service per the active NOTAM. The pilot's attempts to activate the lights and the misconfiguration of flaps contributed to the sequence that led to the ground impact.
Investigation Findings
No probable cause was stated in the official source. The investigation noted the inadvertent descent resulting from incorrect flap selection and distraction during the approach.