On May 16, 1990, a Piper PA-31-350 (registration N111AY) was involved in an aviation accident near Dubuque, IA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: WEATHER EVALUATION MISJUDGED RESULTING IN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND AIRCRAFT CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An ATR aircraft crashed into terrain half a mile short of the runway while attempting a missed approach during heavy rain and turbulence on final approach.
What happened
The flight was conducting a full Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach when the pilot reported encountering severe weather conditions at approximately 600 feet above ground level. Specifically, the crew faced heavy rainfall, extreme turbulence, and what appeared to be wind shear. In response to these deteriorating conditions, the pilot lost localizer guidance and initiated a missed approach procedure.
The pilot applied full power and pitched the aircraft up in an attempt to climb away from the runway environment. Despite these corrective actions, the aircraft continued its descent rather than gaining altitude. The plane subsequently collided with the terrain approximately one-half mile short of the runway threshold.
The investigation
Investigation details regarding specific mechanical examinations or post-impact wreckage analysis were not provided in the source material for this report.