What happened
On a night flight under visual meteorological conditions, an EMS aircraft departed Wichita Mid-Continental Airport at approximately 0215 central standard time, bound for Dodge City Regional Airport. Although the flight was originally operating under instrument flight rules, the pilot cancelled the IFR flight plan roughly 34 nautical miles east of the destination and began a descent under visual flight rules.
During the descent, the aircraft maintained a magnetic course of approximately 265 degrees at a rate of 850 to 950 feet per minute. The aircraft eventually passed the destination airport on a 270-degree course. Local witnesses reported hearing the sound of an aircraft flying at a low altitude with engines appearing to be at full throttle, followed by the sound of an impact. The aircraft struck the terrain approximately 7 nautical miles west of Dodge City Regional Airport, resulting in a gear-up impact and a subsequent fire that destroyed the plane.
Findings
Post-accident inspections of the airframe and engines showed no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions. Investigations into the pilot's condition found no evidence of medical incapacitation, drug use, or carbon monoxide poisoning. While the pilot had complied with all 14 CFR 135.267 flight time and rest regulations, the pilot had been on duty for over 14 hours and had been awake for nearly 21 hours at the time of the crash. Consequently, human performance analysis indicated that pilot fatigue was a likely factor in the accident.