What happened
During an approach to runway 33 at Pittsburgh-International Airport, a twin engine airplane operated by Air East crashed just short of the runway threshold. The flight had proceeded without incident from its origin until the descent phase. During the approach, the crew initiated a descent earlier than permitted, resulting in the aircraft flying below the established minimum altitude. While operating in marginal weather conditions, the plane collided with an ILS antenna and subsequently crashed. The impact resulted in 12 fatalities and left 5 occupants seriously injured. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the primary cause was a premature descent below the safe approach slope, which led to an aerodynamic stall and a subsequent loss of control. Several contributing factors were noted, including the crew's intentional decision to descend below published minimums to establish visual contact with approach lights. Other potential elements included possible optical illusions or visual impairments caused by the lighting systems, as well as the presence of downdrafts near the runway approach end.