Sequence of Events
The pilot had been awake for most of the day. Prior to the flight, the pilot's wife had been injured and was medically treated and released from a hospital. The pilot and his wife departed on a visual flight rules flight plan and proceeded eastbound. As the airplane neared the destination airport, the pilot could see the entire island and airport but filed an IFR flight plan with a Flight Service Station due to the "widely scattered, low, ground fog" in the area.
While on an instrument landing system (ILS) approach, the pilot noticed that there was a patch of ground fog around the approach lights, but the entire runway surface and lights were visible. He then "descended early" and the right main landing gear struck an approach light stanchion, shearing the gear assembly off. The airplane touched down on the runway, slid about 200 feet, came to rest, and a fire ensued.
Post-Accident Inspection
Inspection of the instrument landing system the day after the accident revealed no anomalies.
Weather Conditions
The weather about the time of the accident was: winds from 280 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 1/4 mile, fog, vertical visibility 100 feet.