What happened
While operating under visual flight rules over the top at roughly 7,900 feet, the pilot requested and received instrument flight rules clearance for a localizer runway 03 approach. Radar tracking confirmed the aircraft type intercepted the localizer and began its inbound track. Upon reaching the final approach fix, the aircraft initiated a shallow descent. However, the descent profile failed to reach the minimum descent altitude before the aircraft passed the missed approach point.
Following the missed approach point, the aircraft continued its descent and overflew the runway. The last radar contact occurred at an altitude of 1,200 feet, one mile northeast of the airport, which is where the wreckage was eventually found. At the time of the incident, local weather observations indicated a ceiling of 200 feet with visibility restricted to 1/4 mile due to fog.
Findings
An examination of the engines and airframe revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have contributed to the flight path deviation. However, toxicological analysis of the pilot's blood, liver, and kidney samples conducted by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute identified the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine, along with pseudoephedrine. The presence of these controlled substances in the pilot's system was a significant finding during the investigation.