On November 8, 1986, a Beech E18S (registration N149AA) was involved in an aviation accident near Texarkana, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to continue the approach into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft impacted terrain and burned while attempting to land on runway 31 during a missed approach in dense fog with visibility of one-quarter mile.
What happened
The airplane was conducting a positioning flight to prepare for an early Monday morning freight run. The pilot initiated a missed approach and, after receiving clearance, declared that he was operating in visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. He intended to land on runway 31. During a turn, the airplane impacted the terrain inverted and subsequently burned.
Findings
Weather observations recorded at the airport 21 minutes prior to the accident indicated an instrument ceiling of 100 feet with the sky obscured. Visibility was reported as one-quarter mile in fog. The pilot's decision to land in these conditions despite the missed approach suggests a failure to maintain situational awareness regarding the weather minimums.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to continue the approach into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
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