What happened
During an instrument approach procedure, a cargo aircraft struck mountainous terrain while flying in controlled flight. The flight crew, consisting of a training captain and a newly hired commercial pilot undergoing training for captain, was executing a VOR or GPS-B approach via the 7 DME arc. The prescribed procedure required the aircraft to track inbound on the 127 degree radial, descending to a minimum of 7,700 feet until reaching the initial approach fix (IAF). Upon crossing the IAF, the flight instructions mandated a turn to a heading of 097 degrees for 10 nautical miles, descending to 6,900 feet, with the final 1.5 nautical miles to the runway intended to be flown under visual conditions.
Evidence from the crash site showed the aircraft hit trees and subsequently the mountain at an altitude of roughly 6,900 feet mean sea level, while maintaining a heading of approximately 127 degrees. The primary impact point was situated about nine nautical miles from the IAF on a magnetic bearing of 130 degrees. At the time of the accident, the area was experiencing instrument meteorological conditions, including heavy snowfall, icing, and limited visibility due to mountain obscuration.
Findings
Investigation of the cockpit instruments revealed that the horizontal situation indicator (HSI) on the left side was set to a course of approximately 127 degrees, which matched the inbound heading to the IAF. However, the co-pilot's HSI was set to 115 degrees. The positioning of the wreckage and the flight heading indicates that the crew failed to execute the required turn to 097 degrees after passing the initial approach fix. There were no reports of mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the impact, and both crew members were killed in the crash.