Accident Sequence
The pilot departed Florida and made a fuel stop in Virginia. Later, during a night precision instrument approach under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) to Farmingdale, New York, the airplane struck trees. The pilot executed a missed approach that did not comply with published procedures. He was then offered several alternate airports, some under visual meteorological conditions, but chose a divert airport that was IMC and for which he did not have the precision approach charts. Air traffic control provided the approach information.
During the subsequent approach, the tower controller advised the pilot that his landing lights could be seen over the approach end of the runway as the airplane was "going back into the clouds." The airplane was next observed well left of the runway. The controller asked the pilot his altitude, and he responded "300 feet." The tower controller gave the pilot a vector and told him to contact approach control. The airplane disappeared into the clouds again. It then exited the base of the clouds in a right descending turn and struck the ground.
Weather and Conditions
Weather conditions immediately before and after the accident at Bridgeport were reported in part as a 400-foot overcast, rain, and visibility of 2 to 3 miles. Radar data revealed erratic altitudes on the glideslope and during vectors. The accident airport did not have an approach lighting system for the precision approach runway.
Safety Recommendation
In January 1995, the Safety Board issued a recommendation to install an approach lighting system to that runway "as soon as possible."