What happened
Following a full day of ground training, an instructor and a trainee were operating an EMB-110P1 to Memphis for an aircraft exchange. Before the departure, ground fog had begun to develop. After completing the exchange in Memphis, the crew initiated the return flight to Columbia. While flying toward Columbia Regional Airport (SDF), the crew received radar vectors to align with the final approach course.
Due to dense fog, the crew was forced to execute a missed approach. During this maneuver, the crew observed the runway from above and decided to attempt a visual flight rules (VFR) approach and landing despite the conditions. While maintaining a wings-level attitude, the aircraft struck trees located 2,350 feet from the runway. The impact occurred at an altitude of 41 feet above the runway threshold, breaking the tops of the trees. The accident resulted in one fatality and one serious injury.
Findings
Investigations into the crash highlighted that the trainee pilot had been awake for at least 30 hours leading up to the event. The primary factor in the accident was the crew's decision to attempt a VFR landing while operating in instrument conditions that were below the established minimums for the published approach.