What happened
During a night flight under instrument meteorological conditions, an aircraft was engaged in an instrument approach to its destination. While flying the Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) approach, the pilot received weather updates via the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) indicating that while visibility was sufficient, the cloud ceiling was below the required minimum descent altitude. Although the pilot intended to contact air traffic control to divert from the flight path, communication could not be established, leading to the decision to proceed to the destination.
The pilot successfully completed the NDB approach and reached the minimum descent altitude. At that stage, the runway was visible directly below and slightly to the left of the aircraft's position. The pilot intended to execute a left circling maneuver to land. Shortly after this point, the aircraft impacted an open field located approximately 1.5 miles south of the airport, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. There were no reported failures or malfunctions of the aircraft systems, and post-accident inspections confirmed that flight controls remained functional.
Witnesses on the ground observed lights from an aircraft in the vicinity of the airport during heavy mist and fog. One observer noted the plane was flying at a low altitude and appeared to be banking, with the right wing elevated and the belly of the aircraft visible.
Findings
The investigation determined that the accident occurred because the pilot failed to maintain altitude while performing the circling maneuver. Additional contributing elements included the decision to attempt the approach despite weather conditions being below established minimums, as well as the challenges posed by low-light night conditions.