What happened
During a repositioning flight traveling from Rotterdam toward Eindhoven, the crew encountered heavy fog that significantly reduced visibility. While performing the approach into Eindhoven Airport, the aircraft type (not specified) collided with treetops approximately 5.6 km before reaching the runway.
The force of the initial impact caused the elevators to be detached from the airframe. Following this, the aircraft hit additional trees and crashed into an embankment situated near Best. The collision resulted in a post-crash fire. There were 2 fatalities involving the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations determined that the flight crew did not adhere to established operational procedures. Specifically, the pilots attempted to conduct a visual approach while operating under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). The accident was driven by the decision to descend below the minimum descent altitude without having established visual contact with the terrain.