What happened
During the final stages of a cross-country flight, the pilot was performing an instrument approach. Approximately 0.5 miles from the runway, the aircraft began a shallow climb and a left turn that moved it away from the intended runway heading. Data from ADS-B surveillance indicates that the aircraft's airspeed dropped significantly from 166 knots at the final approach fix to 84 knots during the 0.5-mile final approach, eventually reaching 74 knots during the climb and turn. Throughout this sequence, the pilot failed to maintain the manufacturer-recommended approach speed of 85 knots.
The aircraft eventually struck the ground in a wings-level attitude within an open grass field situated to the left of the runway centerline. The impact caused substantial damage to the airframe. An inspection of the aircraft following the accident found no mechanical failures or anomalies that would have prevented standard operation.
Findings
Investigation of the altitude and airspeed trends suggests the aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude. Based on the aircraft configuration at the crash site, it is believed the pilot was in the process of retracting flaps and landing gear for a potential go-around maneuver when the stall occurred.
Several contributing factors were identified during the analysis:
- The aircraft was operating in excess of its maximum landing weight.
- The aircraft was positioned beyond the aft center-of-gravity limit, which can lead to instability and difficulty recovering from stalls.
- The aircraft was operating outside of its specified weight and balance limits.
- At speeds below 70 knots, the aircraft is prone to a left roll following a rapid increase in thrust if corrective rudder input is not applied immediately.