What happened
During an approach to runway 11, the flight crew requested verification of their position after noting they were unable to intercept the localizer. Air Traffic Control (ARTCC) informed the crew that the aircraft type was positioned to the right of the course and was flying below the necessary altitude. While the aircraft's Mode C transponder showed an altitude of 1,400 feet, the controller instructed the crew to remain above 2,300 feet until passing the final approach fix. The crew noted they were operating under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC).
Following a frequency change to the tower, the aircraft struck a eucalyptus tree at approximately 90 feet above ground level. The impact occurred roughly 2.05 miles from the runway approach end and 195 feet to the right of the localizer. The crash site sat at an elevation of 101 feet, significantly lower than the approach's minimum descent altitude of 640 feet. At the time of the accident, weather conditions included fog with visibility of 1/8 mile and a ceiling of 100 feet.
Findings
Investigations revealed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions present on the aircraft prior to the impact. The accident resulted in four fatalities and no survivors. The primary factor in the accident was the aircraft flying below the required altitude and off the localizer course during the approach.