What happened
On a night flight conducted under instrument flight rules, a pilot was transporting two passengers to a distant hospital for an urgent organ transplant surgery. During the flight, the pilot maintained routine communication with air traffic control, flight service stations, and local ground personnel. As the aircraft approached the destination, the pilot noted fluctuating weather conditions characterized by a thin fog layer. While the pilot had identified alternative airports for a potential diversion, the aircraft continued toward the primary destination.
Upon contacting a fixed-based operator at the destination, the pilot was informed that low visibility due to fog prevented the observation of terminal lights. Subsequent communications with a flight service station revealed that automated weather reporting indicated a ceiling of only 100 feet and visibility of 1/4 mile. These conditions were below the published minimums required for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach.
Radar tracking indicated that the multiengine airplane successfully intercepted the localizer and glideslope. The final recorded radar target with altitude data placed the aircraft at 600 feet on the glideslope. However, subsequent radar returns failed to provide altitude information. The aircraft eventually flew below the glideslope and struck 100-foot-tall trees approximately 4,150 feet from the runway 29 threshold. The impact resulted in 3 fatalities.
Findings
Post-accident investigations, including a flight check by the Federal Aviation Administration, confirmed that the ILS equipment was functioning correctly. While a post-impact fire destroyed the cockpit and much of the navigation equipment, an examination of the remaining wreckage showed no evidence of mechanical failure prior to the crash. It is noted that the pilot's decision to continue the approach despite weather conditions being below minimums may have been influenced by the urgent medical necessity of the passenger's organ transplant.