What happened
While performing a VOR/DME approach, the aircraft was in a circling pattern intended for landing on runway 22. During this maneuver, the plane struck the ground roughly one-quarter mile northeast of the runway 22 threshold. The debris field resulting from the impact spanned a distance of about 350 feet. Witnesses at the scene observed the aircraft experiencing a roll from left to right prior to the crash.
Findings
Post-accident inspections of the airframe, engines, and navigational equipment showed no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities. However, investigators identified a small amount of rime ice, measuring about one-eighth of an inch, on the leading edges of the horizontal stabilizer and the left wing. Additionally, the Eagle River AWOS was unavailable via VHF radio at the time of the incident because of high levels of radio frequency congestion at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.