What happened
At 2234 on July 2, 1981, the pilot was issued a vector to the initial approach fix for an instrument landing system (ILS) runway 9 approach at Stewart International Airport. Weather conditions were reported as one thousand feet overcast with six miles visibility in light rain and haze. Shortly after, the pilot was advised of a 25-30 minute delay and cleared to hold.
At 2306, the pilot of another Boeing 727 landing on runway 9 reported breaking out at 400 feet. At 2308, the subject pilot was cleared for the approach and confirmed he had current weather information. The aircraft crashed approximately 5,000 feet from the approach end and an estimated 1,500 feet right of the extended centerline of runway 9.
The investigation
Records indicated that on July 2, 1981, the pilot failed his initial Airline Transport Pilot flight exam due to unsatisfactory ILS approaches. On January 21, 1982, during a Part 135 check, the pilot's ILS approach was rated as "very unsatisfactory." As a consequence of these performance issues, the pilot was disapproved for operation under instrument flight rules.
Findings
The crash occurred during a Boeing 727 approach in marginal weather conditions. The pilot had previously demonstrated significant deficiencies in instrument flying skills, leading to disapproval for IFR operations. The aircraft impacted the ground short of the runway threshold.