What happened
The aircraft was cleared for a VOR approach to the airport and was performing a circling maneuver to land when it struck the ground before reaching the runway. During the approach, the pilot reported that the aircraft began behaving strangely, describing a wobble or flopping motion in the tail section that did not feel like a stall.
Passengers observed that the aircraft appeared low and experienced a left bank that resulted in a 90-degree roll, pointing the left wing toward the ground. Radar data recorded the aircraft at 1643:03 at an altitude of 1,200 feet MSL with a ground speed of 89 knots. At 1643:04, the pilot noted they were starting to see the ground at 1,300 feet. Following a request for weather, the pilot was informed that visibility was approximately one-half to three-quarters of a mile with a broken ceiling of 600 feet.
At 1644:44, radar data showed the aircraft at 1,000 feet altitude with a ground speed of 82 knots. At 1644:47, the pilot inquired about reversing direction after stating they had the runway in sight. The approach procedure for the VOR or GPS-A approach to MIC requires a minimum descent altitude of 1,360 feet MSL and a minimum visibility of 1 mile for category A, B, and C aircraft.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft was performed, and investigators found no anomalies that could be linked to a preexisting condition.
Data from the owner's manual was reviewed regarding performance limits. The manual specifies a minimum multi-engine approach speed of 107 mph indicated airspeed (IAS). With the landing gear down and flaps at 45 degrees, the manual lists stall speeds of 81 mph IAS at 0 degrees of bank, 83 mph IAS at 20 degrees of bank, 92 mph IAS at 40 degrees of bank, and 115 mph IAS at 60 degrees of bank.