The pilot did make some major corrections toward the end. Eyewitnesses saw the plane's wing clip off a street lamp pole and the plane was oscillating in roll. The were coming in on a dive. (Interesting that the un-flat approach and obstacles would rule out a ground-hugging cruise missile.) Flight plan? Surely, you jest. They were working from maybe a map and eyeballs. You don't need engines when you already have too much speed (under those conditions, they act as drag reducers). You do realize that one of the major tasks of landing a plane is to reduce speed?

You misunderstand aircraft engines. Their rated maximum thrust is for takeoff conditions, i.e., low altitude. If they were at full throttle, they were at full thrust. Referring to the engines gets you nowhere. The airplane was traveling at the speed it was traveling, easily attained by diving from its operating altitude. And, yes, the plane was in ground effect. This happens when it is within half a wingspan of the ground surface.