What happened
The flight originated in Chicago and proceeded routinely toward Atlantic City. Communications between the aircraft and air traffic control appeared normal throughout the approach. At 19:01 local time, Atlantic City Local Control informed the pilot that the aircraft was one mile out from the airport and should be acquiring the 'Rabbit' navigation signal shortly.
One minute later, at 19:02, the controller asked the pilot to confirm whether he had landed or was executing a go-around. The pilot responded that he was in the process of going around. Local Control immediately issued missed approach procedures. However, the flight did not acknowledge these instructions nor respond to any subsequent transmissions from the tower.
At 19:07, an explosion was reported near the Garden State Parkway. The aircraft had struck trees located 5,900 feet beyond the departure end of runway 10. The impact track was recorded at a heading of 110 degrees. The trees in the area where the crash occurred were approximately 45 feet high.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the final approach and missed approach phase. Analysis confirmed that the aircraft deviated from the intended flight path after the go-around was initiated. The lack of radio communication after the pilot's initial response suggested a loss of situational awareness or control.