What happened
While performing a non-precision approach into New Haven-Tweed Airport, the flight crew encountered heavy rain and degraded weather conditions. During the final stage of the approach, the pilot-in-command allowed the aircraft type to descend below the established glide slope. The descent continued until the plane impacted several cottages located approximately 4,890 feet before reaching runway 02. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire. Of the passengers and crew on board, 28 fatalities were recorded, while three survivors were rescued from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the primary factor was the captain's decision to descend below the required minimum descent altitude during periods of low visibility. The pilot failed to maintain the necessary altitude despite receiving warnings from the first officer, who noted that the aircraft had reached the minimum altitude and was maintaining a standard descent rate and airspeed. The investigation highlighted that the captain intentionally ignored altitude restrictions and crew advisories while operating in adverse weather conditions without sufficient visual contact with the runway environment.