What happened
The flight was proceeding under an instrument flight rules plan when the pilot requested an altitude below 8000 feet, citing an ear problem experienced by a passenger. The en route portion of the flight continued without incident until the arrival phase. The pilot was cleared for an instrument landing system approach to runway 3. His final transmission occurred at 10:19:45 EST, reporting his position inbound on the Azalea NDB, located 7.8 miles from the runway along the localizer course. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft crashed 1.5 miles northwest of the navigation aid.
The investigation
Radar data indicated that near the navigation aid, the aircraft executed sharp left and right turns while descending from 3000 to 2300 feet before radar contact was lost. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right wing had separated and was found 360 feet from the main debris field. The vertical tail assembly showed deformation of the left stabilator and upward deformation of the right stabilator. No pre-accident mechanical issues were identified.
Findings
The pilot had suffered from a head cold two days prior and had taken medication, though toxicology results showed only 1.8 mg/kg of chlorpheniramine in his liver sample. The center of gravity was estimated to be 2.1 inches behind the aft limit. Post-accident demonstration indicated the pilot had no useful vision in his left eye.