What happened
During a nighttime approach to Nashville-Metropolitan Airport, a twin engine airplane experienced a fatal descent error. While performing the final approach phase of flight, the aircraft collided with overhead power cables located near the airfield. The impact caused the plane to crash at a location short of the runway. There were no survivors in the accident, as all five people on board lost their lives.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical contributing factors that led to the collision with power lines. A primary factor was the misjudgment of altitude and distance by the co-pilot during the approach. The investigation also highlighted significant issues regarding crew management, noting that the crew had been scheduled for shifts lasting between 18 and 20 hours, leading to pilot fatigue.
Additional operational deficiencies were noted, including inadequate flight supervision and failures in company oversight regarding equipment and regulatory compliance. Environmental conditions, specifically the presence of fog, also played a role during the descent. At the time of the incident, the autopilot was engaged, and the aircraft's trim was set to 10 degrees nose down.