What happened
During the final approach phase at Charleston Airport, air traffic control advised the flight crew that the aircraft was not properly aligned with the runway centerline. At the moment this warning was issued, the airplane was positioned to the left of the intended glide path and flying at an altitude considered insufficient for a safe landing.
Shortly after receiving this information, the aircraft descended into the terrain. It struck the tops of trees before impacting the ground in a wooded area situated 1,266 yards short of the runway threshold. The impact caused the airframe to break up and catch fire. There were no survivors; both crew members were killed in the accident.
Findings
The sequence of events indicates that the aircraft was significantly off its intended flight path during the critical final approach segment. The combination of being laterally displaced to the left of the glide slope and operating at a dangerously low altitude left the crew with insufficient time or energy to recover from the deviation before encountering obstacles on the ground.