Incident Overview
A pilot was conducting a manually flown Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach in marginal weather conditions. According to the pilot's account, he became distracted at approximately 3.5 miles from touchdown by a call from the tower asking for his location. He reported that he looked outside the cockpit and saw a highway below. When he redirected his attention to the instruments, he observed that the glide path needle was displaying a full-scale below glide path indication. The pilot then attempted to engage the autopilot, but the airplane struck trees.
Sequence of Events
- The pilot initiated a manually flown ILS approach.
- About 3.5 miles from the runway, the tower contacted the pilot to inquire about his location.
- Distracted by the call, the pilot looked outside and identified a highway below.
- Upon returning his gaze to the instrument panel, the pilot noted a full-scale below glide path reading.
- In response, the pilot tried to engage the autopilot.
- Before the autopilot could become effective, the airplane impacted trees.
Discussion
The incident highlights the challenges of maintaining situational awareness during a manually flown approach in reduced visibility. The pilot's distraction from an external communication led to a failure to monitor the glide path, resulting in a deviation below the intended approach path. The attempt to engage the autopilot as a corrective measure was unsuccessful due to the proximity of the trees.
Conclusion
The accident occurred when the pilot, distracted by a tower communication, lost awareness of the glide path during an ILS approach in marginal weather. The aircraft subsequently struck trees.