What happened
The crew was conducting an NDB approach to an uncontrolled airport situated at 941 feet MSL. The NDB station was located 1.8 NM from the airport. According to the flight procedures, the pilots were required to maintain a minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 1,540 feet until the runway became visible.
Prior to the accident, air traffic control had informed the crew that they were 15 miles from the airport. While approximately four miles from the airport, the aircraft struck the top of a hill at an elevation of 990 feet MSL. The impact and subsequent fire demolished the aircraft.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions featured an overcast ceiling of 300 feet and visibility of one mile.
Findings
No mechanical malfunctions were reported or identified following the crash. However, investigators determined that the lack of a local altimeter setting resulted in an increase of the MDA by 240 feet.