What happened
While maintaining an altitude of FL370, the flight crew reported an active fire within the right engine and declared an emergency. The pilots requested guidance to the closest appropriate airfield and were directed toward the Lexington-Blue Grass Airport. During the descent and circling process, the crew successfully shut down the right engine and managed to extinguish the fire warning light.
As the aircraft type approached the runway on final approach, air traffic control observed that the landing gear and flaps appeared to be extended. However, during the short final phase, the aircraft's pitch increased significantly. The plane descended below the runway threshold and struck a pasture located before the runway. The momentum of the crash caused the aircraft to pass through a stone fence, strike two utility poles, and cross a highway before coming to a halt at a perimeter fence, where it caught fire. Debris from the wreckage damaged a vehicle, causing 2 minor injuries to its occupants.
Findings
The investigation determined that while the landing gear was extended at impact, the flaps and the flap handle were actually in the up position. A mechanical inspection of the right engine identified a crack in the outer exhaust cone near the fire detection loop, which led to an exhaust leak and overtemperature conditions in the engine compartment. The crash resulted in 2 fatalities among the crew and 2 serious injuries among the passengers.
Investigators concluded that the accident was driven by the inadvertent retraction of the flaps and a subsequent aerodynamic stall during the approach.