Monmouth Airlines Flight 98 Collision with Blue Mountain (N986MA)

Flight Details and Approach Sequence Monmouth Airlines Flight 98 departed Wilkes-Barre at 2253 local time for a short instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Allentown. Allentown Approach Control cleared the flight for a VOR approach and instructed the pilot to report when the aircraft was 12 miles north of the Allentown VOR. At 2307 local time, after receiving the flight's position estimate, Allentown Approach Control cleared Monmouth 98 for a VOR approach to land on runway 06. The crew was requested to report when inbound over the Allentown VOR. ## Impact and Casualties The aircraft collided with the ridge of Blue Mountain at an elevation of 1,540 feet (470 m). The wreckage was located 11.3 miles north of Allentown-Bethlehem Easton Airport. Both pilots and two passengers were killed, while four other passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the probable cause was the pilot's nonadherence to approved approach procedures for executing a non-precision instrument approach in instrument flight conditions. The Board further found a high degree of probability that extensive on-duty time and actual instrument flight time prior to the accident resulted in fatigue for both pilots, affecting their judgment and decisions during the approach.