Narrative
The pilot and a passenger were conducting a cross-country flight. After night had fallen, they encountered worsening weather conditions and diverted to an airport along their route. During the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane developed an excessive descent rate, prompting the pilot to initiate a go-around. As the pilot turned the airplane onto the downwind leg, the left wing impacted the ground.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot operating handbook for the airplane specifies that once a positive rate of climb is established, the landing gear should be retracted, along with incremental flap retraction. The pilot believed he had retracted the flaps and landing gear; however, both cockpit selectors were found in the extended position after the accident. The pilot had approximately 8 hours of total night flight time, with 0.8 hour in the 30 days preceding the accident.
Additional Details
No further information about the airplane type, registration, or injuries was provided in the source. The accident occurred during a night go-around following a diversion due to deteriorating weather. The left wing strike happened during the turn to the downwind leg, and the extended landing gear and flaps were noted post-accident.