Background
The flight began with a missed approach at the original destination. Subsequently, the pilot requested weather reports for two alternative airports. One airport, 53 miles to the northeast, reported a cloud ceiling of 900 feet and visibility of 6 statute miles. The pilot instead opted for the accident airport, located 21 miles to the southwest, where conditions were significantly worse: an indefinite ceiling of zero and visibility of only 1/4 mile. After executing a second missed approach, the flight proceeded to the accident airport.
Approach and Descent
Controllers provided radar vectors for the ILS approach to runway 36L. On the final approach segment, the aircraft deviated to the right of the localizer course and began a rapid descent. The last recorded altitude was below the published decision height for the approach.
Equipment and Pilot Examination
A post-accident investigation of the airport's navigational aids found no malfunctions, and the airplane's navigation receivers were operational. The pilot underwent postmortem examinations, which did not identify any pre-existing medical conditions; toxicology tests were negative for alcohol and other drugs.
Official Determination
The probable cause was determined to be the pilot's continued approach below decision height without reference to the runway environment, and his failure to execute a missed approach.