Accident Overview
An air taxi cargo aircraft was seen maneuvering over an airport in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) while attempting a visual flight rules (VFR) approach to land. Witnesses reported that the aircraft made a sudden turn to reverse its direction of flight, followed by a nose dive directly into the ground.
Witness Observations
According to witnesses, the aircraft's maneuver involved an abrupt change in heading before it pitched nose-down and descended rapidly until impact. No further details on the aircraft's configuration or actions during the descent were provided.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 22, had accumulated a total of 4,300 hours of flight experience and held a type rating in a Lear Jet. He was hired just 10 days prior to the accident and was operating under a temporary airman certificate. Records indicate that the pilot's certificate had been subject to an emergency revocation in August of the previous year, but enforcement action was later reduced to a suspension of airman privileges.