Flight History
The flight departed Knoxville, Tennessee, at 1220 Eastern Daylight Time with full fuel tanks. Approximately one hour before the planned arrival at Hilton Head, South Carolina, the pilot advised the fixed-base operator (FBO) that the flight would be about 30 minutes late. The flight continued toward the destination.
Accident Sequence
As the airplane neared the airport, the pilot requested an airport advisory and announced intentions to enter a downwind leg and make a long final approach to runway 3. Witnesses observed the airplane low on final approach, then saw it bank away from the airport while descending. The airplane subsequently collided with 80-foot tall trees, a powerline, the ground, and a telephone pole. The airplane came to rest upright with the empennage separated aft of the wings. A postcrash fire destroyed the cockpit and cabin section.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine found water contamination at the fuel manifold and servo fuel injector. Operators of other airplanes fueled from the same source on the same day reported no indication of fuel contamination.