What happened
During an approach to runway 23, the aircraft touched down approximately 300 feet from the start of the 2,760-foot runway. Following the initial contact with the ground, the pilot attempted to slow the aircraft by raising the flaps and pitching the nose upward. While braking was applied, the left main landing gear began to skid roughly two-thirds of the way down the runway length. At this point, the pilot initiated a go-around by applying full power.
During this maneuver, the aircraft failed to maintain sufficient altitude and drifted off the end of the runway. The aircraft subsequently struck a pile of rocks, which led to its destruction through the force of the impact and a subsequent post-crash fire. At the time of the accident, wind conditions were reported as 10 knots from 270 degrees.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified several contributing factors related to the pilot's actions and the aircraft's performance during the landing and go-around phases:
- The approach was misjudged by the pilot in command.
- A crosswind component was present during the event.
- The full length of the available runway was not utilized effectively.
- The decision to initiate the go-around was delayed.
- During the transition to a climb, the aircraft failed to reach the necessary airspeed for safe flight (Vmc).
- The aircraft experienced an inadvertent stall or mushing condition during the maneuver.