What happened
During an approach to the destination airport, the second-in-command was operating the aircraft type (unspecified model). The aircraft made contact with the runway surface while the landing gear remained in the retracted position, causing the propeller blades to strike the pavement. Following this initial contact, the crew attempted to execute a go-around to abort the landing.
As the aircraft attempted to climb, witnesses observed the plane enter a steep left bank. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft impacted a river located adjacent to the airport. Analysis of the propeller strikes on the runway, which spanned 380 feet, suggested a touchdown speed of approximately 96 knots, while the final strikes on the right side indicated a speed of 86 knots. The two fatalities involved were both members of the flight crew.
Findings
Investigation of the cockpit voice recorder indicated that while the crew finished a descent arrival check, the approach briefing was left incomplete, and the required before-landing checklist was not performed. Notably, the crew did not hear a gear warning horn during the descent. Company representatives noted that the circuit breaker for the warning horn had been intentionally pulled during previous flights by other crew members to prevent the horn from activating during high rates of descent.
The failure to extend the landing gear was a primary factor in the initial runway contact.