Accident Overview
A commercial pilot, serving as the pilot flying (PF), and an airplane transport pilot, serving as the pilot not flying (PNF), were conducting an aeromedical positioning flight. During a night approach, the pilots visually identified the airport, activated the runway lighting system, and canceled the instrument flight plan for a visual approach.
Approach and Landing
The PNF reported that after turning onto the final approach, the flaps were fully lowered and the airplane was in a "wings level, stabilized approach." The PF stated that he initially used the vertical approach slope indicator (VASI) for guidance but allowed the airplane to drift below the glidepath during the approach and did not correct back to it. On short final, the pilots verified the landing gear were down and locked by observing the three green indicator lights; the airspeed indicator showed 110 knots. Both pilots described the landing as "firm," followed by a loud bang and subsequent failure of all three landing gear.
Post-Impact Events
The airplane slid on its belly for about 825 ft down the runway before coming to rest. Both pilots evacuated the airplane, which was then consumed by a postaccident fire. The pilots reported the airplane was operating normally with no discrepancies noted.
Examination Findings
Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane impacted the runway about 100 ft short of its displaced threshold. Broken landing gear components were found along a debris field extending about 565 ft beyond the initial impact point. The investigation concluded that the PF's failure to correct and maintain the VASI glidepath after descending below it, combined with a touchdown at a high descent rate, resulted in a hard landing and the failure of all three landing gear.