What happened
During an instrument landing system (ILS) approach, an aircraft entered a nose-down, near-vertical spin before impacting the ground. The crash occurred approximately 3 miles from the start of the intended runway. Radar analysis indicated that the pilot struggled to regulate both airspeed and altitude during the final approach phase, characterized by notable deviations from the established glidepath and inconsistent speeds.
While local pilots reported the presence of icing conditions within clouds near the airfield, responders at the crash site noted that no ice was present on the aircraft. A subsequent technical inspection of the engine and flight navigation systems revealed no mechanical or systemic failures prior to the impact.
Findings
Investigations into the navigation system's components, specifically the light bulbs, indicated that the pilot had initially configured the system for GPS mode. However, the pilot failed to transition the aircraft to the correct instrument approach mode required for the autopilot to capture and follow the ILS signal.