What happened
A commercial pilot was conducting a routine instrument flight rules air taxi operation, a route previously flown many times for the same client. During the approach to the destination, the aircraft was vectored onto the final approach course for a precision approach. After being instructed to switch to the tower frequency, the pilot received and acknowledged landing clearance. At the time of the incident, the airport was experiencing low visibility, with an overcast ceiling of 300 feet and visibility limited to one mile due to mist.
Radar data indicated that the aircraft was significantly above the glideslope as it progressed toward the runway. At 6.7 nautical miles from the threshold, the aircraft was 800 feet above the glideslope. This altitude decreased to 500 feet above the glideslope at the outer marker, 5.5 nautical miles from the threshold. By the time radar contact was lost at 3.2 nautical miles, the aircraft was approximately 250 feet above the glideslope. While the aircraft remained within the localizer's lateral limits, the vertical profile indicated a highly unstabilized approach.
Findings
Analysis of the flight path showed that during the final two minutes of the flight, the descent rate accelerated from 400 feet per minute to over 1,700 feet per minute, likely due to pilot inputs. Although the rate briefly dipped to 1,000 feet per minute in the final minute, the aircraft's descent characteristics failed to meet the operator's established safety criteria. The company's standard operating procedures required a missed approach if a descent rate exceeding 1,000 feet per minute was encountered during an instrument approach.
Post-accident investigation of the wreckage, located in dense woods, showed no mechanical failures or anomalies. The damage to tree branches suggested a controlled, wings-level descent with engine power. Ultimately, the pilot elected to continue the approach rather than executing the required missed approach procedure, leading to the impact with terrain. While the pilot had managed health conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea, the potential impact of the pilot's multiple sclerosis could not be confirmed.