Accident Overview
An Air Force Materiel Command Beech 1900 crashed while on a routine support mission from a remote classified airstrip on the Nellis range to the Tonopah Test Range. The aircraft departed at 03:43 for Tonopah. After the pilot reported the runway lights in sight, he configured the airplane for the approach and initiated a circling maneuver to the right for a visual straight-in approach to runway 32. During the turn, the pilot suffered a sudden cardiac death. Halfway through the turn, the airplane began a gradual descent until it impacted the ground. The airplane broke up and burst into flames.
Investigation Findings
Investigation revealed that the pilot had violated federal policy and directives, wilfully deceived flight medical examiners, suppressed significant medical information, and ingested inappropriate medications for a deteriorating and dangerous health condition. The pilot had high blood pressure and failed to report it, and denied taking medications to his Federal Aviation Administration flight physical examiners.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was that the pilot became incapacitated during his approach to land due to sudden cardiac death.