What happened
During a night visual approach, a single-engine airplane impacted the desert terrain short of the runway approach end. While performing the final checklist on final approach, the pilot reported being approximately 300 to 400 feet above the ground and established on the glide slope with the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights visible. The aircraft was configured with the landing gear extended at an airspeed of 85 knots.
The pilot believed that 10 degrees of flaps had been applied; however, he noted that the airplane began to "pancake down" as the airspeed bled off unexpectedly. Upon realizing the situation, the pilot applied full power, and although the engine surged, the aircraft was too low to recover and impacted the ground. A witness near the runway approach end observed the aircraft's wings rocking back and forth during the final approach before it dropped from the sky. The witness noted that the engine did not produce any unusual sounds during the descent.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the flaps were in the retracted position, with the cockpit selector handle set to the up position. According to the manufacturer's approved flight manual, a normal approach speed between 80 and 85 knots should be maintained using full flaps. For a flaps-up configuration, the required approach speed is 95 knots.