Flight Details
The flight was a cargo operation conducted on behalf of the US Air Force, originating from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and destined for Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, with an intermediate stop at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.
Accident Sequence
On final approach, the crew encountered low visibility due to fog. While transitioning from instrument flight rules (IFR) to visual flight rules (VFR) on short final, the airplane went out of control, struck the ground, and crashed 5,470 feet short of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed, and all three crew members were killed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation identified the probable cause as improper IFR operation on the part of the pilot-in-command, who suffered spatial disorientation on final approach. Contributing factors reported included low ceiling, fog, instruments misread or failed to read, company dispatch, weather slightly worse than forecast, crew disorientation due to light glare, and fog during the transition from IFR to VFR.