What happened
During an approach in instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot attempted a VOR-based instrument approach procedure. The procedure required the aircraft to fly an inbound course to the VOR and then descend along that same course until reaching a specific missed approach point located 6 nautical miles past the station. After an initial unsuccessful attempt, the pilot requested and received vectors to rejoin the approach course inbound to the V/OR.
As the aircraft passed over the VOR, it was flying approximately 100 feet above the minimum altitude. However, the pilot failed to begin the descent as required by the procedure, maintaining a level altitude until reaching the airport. Upon reaching the airport, the pilot began a descent, but the aircraft continued traveling outbound along the approach course. The flight ended when the aircraft struck rising terrain approximately 6.5 miles beyond the airport.
Findings
Investigation into the accident revealed that the aircraft was not equipped with distance measuring equipment (DME). Instead, the crew relied on an IFR-approved GPS unit to determine distance. Because the GPS unit lacked a history of waypoint selection, investigators could not confirm exactly which waypoints were programmed. However, it was determined that the pilot likely mistook the airport's location for the VOR's location, which caused the descent to be delayed by 6 nautical miles.
No mechanical issues were identified with the aircraft, and no medical conditions were found to have affected the pilot. The investigation also noted that the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) would have indicated a change from "to" to "from" once the aircraft passed the VOR, providing a visual cue that the aircraft was no longer on the inbound leg.