What happened
The pilot had been operating under instrument flight rules but decided to cancel the clearance once the destination airport became visible. During the final approach phase, the aircraft descended to approximately 100 feet above ground level when it encountered a dense bank of fog that was not anticipated.
In response to the sudden loss of visibility, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure. However, the maneuver was unsuccessful in preventing contact with the terrain. The aircraft collided with the ground roughly 1,000 feet short of the runway threshold.
The investigation
Post-accident analysis revealed that the crew had utilized the Orlando Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) to obtain current weather conditions prior to the approach. The ATIS broadcast did not mention the presence of fog or low visibility conditions, leading to a discrepancy between the reported weather and the actual environment encountered by the aircraft.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the encounter with unexpected visual meteorological conditions during a critical phase of flight. The lack of fog information in the ATIS broadcast prevented the crew from anticipating the reduced visibility, complicating their ability to maintain situational awareness during the transition from instrument to visual flight.