Accident Overview
During a night instrument approach to runway 34, an aircraft descended into terrain approximately 4000 feet short of the runway. The approach was observed by two pilots awaiting takeoff, who reported that the aircraft appeared low on the downwind and base legs. The pilot's position callouts sounded normal.
Airport Information
The airport had recently closed its old runway (17/35) and opened a new runway (16/34). The new runway was located approximately 1400 feet east of the old runway and had an elevation about 145 feet higher. The airport operator had notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the elevation change. However, the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) issued for the new runway did not include the altitude change due to procedural policy.
Pilot Information
The pilot had previously landed at the airport several times, but this was their first landing on the new runway. According to the pilot's logbook, they had accumulated 118 hours of night flying time, but the last recorded night flight occurred 12 years before the accident.
Medical Considerations
The pilot was under treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure and was prescribed medication by their regular physician. However, none of the prescribed medications were detected in the pilot's blood. An FAA regional flight surgeon stated that if the pilot had discontinued their medication, it could have led to hypertension and/or hyperglycemia, which would cause a corresponding degradation in night visual perceptual ability.