What happened
During an instrument approach, the flight crew performed two missed approaches due to low ceiling conditions. After pausing approximately 25 miles south of the destination to refuel and wait for weather improvements, the flight resumed its approach to the original destination. The crew initiated a GPS-A circling approach and transitioned from instrument conditions to visual references approximately 600 feet above ground level, roughly one mile from the runway.
While executing a right downwind turn to enter a left base leg for runway 30, the crew extended the flaps and landing gear. During the maneuver, the aircraft drifted across the runway centerline, necessitating a teardrop turn to realign with the runway. During this turn, the aircraft maintained a bank angle of approximately 45 degrees, but the descent rate increased sharply. A stall warning was triggered, followed by a nose-down pitch. Despite the pilot applying full power and pulling back on the yoke, the aircraft struck the ground with the main gear hitting first. The impact caused the landing gear to shear, propellers to separate, and engines to break from their mounts. A fire ignited in the left engine, and the fuselage sustained a breach three feet behind the cabin pressure bulkhead.
Of the occupants on board, two pilots and three passengers sustained minor injuries, while one passenger suffered serious injuries.
Findings
Data retrieved from the cockpit area microphone indicated that a stall warning activated 6.4 seconds prior to the impact, followed by an altitude alerter 4.4 seconds before the crash. The sequence of events suggests the aircraft entered a stall during the corrective turn toward the runway centerline.