In the helio pics of the crash, the plane looks like it was never taken out of take-off configuration.
Could someone confirm?
The landing configuration is very much like the takeoff configuration (ie., gear and flaps down). Flaps down is what the pics seem to show. If the bird strike scenario is correct, at some point after the strike and engine failures, the pilot would probably be trying to get the gear and flaps up (if they were not already up) in order to reduce drag.
Drag reduction would be critical so that he could gain altitude and airspeed and make it around to the south of the airport for an emergency approach and landing — difficult to do at heavy weight on only two remaining engines. At some point the gear and flaps have to come down again and the drag increases beyond the capability of two engines to maintain level flight.
Then you are in a controlled and irreversible descent even with the two remaining engines at max power. If you have enough altitude, and if you can control the adverse yaw, and if you can maintain your airspeed, and if you are close enough to the runway, you will make it. Unfortunately, one or more of those ifs didn't work out for this C-5 pilot.
But fortunately, by God's grace, they all survived. The accident board will sort it all out and give us an accurate read on the causes later on.