Overview
A cargo flight from Iron Mountain ended in an accident during a night approach to Lansing Airport. The twin-engine airplane encountered poor weather conditions, including reduced visibility from freezing rain and fog. The aircraft stalled and crashed a few hundred yards short of the runway, resulting in serious injuries to both pilots and destroying the aircraft.
Accident Sequence
While on final approach to the airport, the crew faced adverse weather characterized by freezing rain and fog, which significantly reduced visibility. The airplane stalled during the approach and subsequently impacted terrain short of the intended landing runway. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash, and both pilots sustained serious injuries.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be the failure of the crew to maintain flying speed while completing an approach in icing conditions, including freezing rain and fog. Contributing factors reported were airframe ice, low ceiling, fog, freezing rain, and a stall on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach due to airframe icing.