What happened
While performing a VOR/DME approach to runway 17 at Marco Island Airport, the flight crew transitioned to a landing configuration for runway 35. During the descent, approximately 5 miles from the airport, the aircraft was descending toward the minimum descent altitude to visually identify the field. At an altitude of roughly 587 feet above the ground, the left wing of the aircraft type struck a guy wire connected to an antenna located 3.36 nautical miles from the runway 17 threshold. The antenna tower was documented on the approach charts used by the crew.
Following the impact, the aircraft initially rolled to the left with the wing low but managed to briefly recover to a level wing position. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft entered a left roll and a nose-down pitch, resulting in a ground impact that produced a fireball observed by witnesses. The accident resulted in fatalities and injuries, though specific counts were not detailed in the provided text.
Findings
Investigation into the flight instruments revealed that the altimeters, air data computer, and the pilot's airspeed indicator had been calibrated approximately eight months prior to the event. A discrepancy was noted in the co-pilot's altimeter, which was set 0.01 high relative to the last known setting provided to the crew. No malfunctions were reported regarding the HSI, DME, or altimeters on the cockpit voice recorder, and no alarms were triggered by the VOR/DME monitoring equipment. Notably, the flight crew did not discuss missed approach procedures or circling minimums during the approach. The collision with a guy wire was the primary event leading to the loss of control.