What happened
On the final flight leg of the evening, the pilot was conducting an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to runway 02 at Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. During the night instrument approach, the aircraft crashed approximately one mile short of the runway.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were characterized by a 200-foot overcast ceiling and visibility of 1.25 miles in mist. Winds were reported from 150 degrees at 19 knots, with gusts up to 24 knots. The altimeter setting provided by Kansas City Center was 30.24 inches.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft's altimeter revealed that the Kollsman window was set to 30.50 inches, which differed from the 30.24 inches reported by Kansas City Center. Prior to the flight, the pilot had acknowledged the updated weather and the 30.24 inch altimeter setting.
Additionally, testimony from a baggage handler who loaded the aircraft before departure indicated that the pilot appeared very tired and fatigued. Records show the pilot had commenced his workday at approximately 1800 CST the previous day.