Accident Details
A Cessna 421, operating on a corporate flight, struck trees during the landing approach while on an IFR flight plan. The weather at the accident site was IMC. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot reported no injuries. The collision occurred five miles north of the airport during an RNAV approach to Runway 21 at Mark Anton Field in Dayton, Tennessee.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that at what he believed to be the final approach fix, he initiated a descent from 2,300 feet to 1,520 feet. However, the aircraft encountered trees at 2,000 feet on the 170-degree radial, 12 nautical miles from the Hinch Mountain VOR. After the collision, the pilot executed a missed approach and flew the aircraft to Knoxville.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the RNAV system revealed no malfunctions. The pilot noted that he might have missed keying in the appropriate waypoint as a possible reason for the descent error.