What happened
During a night-time cross-country flight conducted under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the pilot was being guided via vectors toward an ILS approach. The initial approach was reported as stable and normal. Upon reaching the decision altitude, the pilot reported visibility of the runway and approach lights but determined that landing was not possible, leading to the execution of a missed approach.
During the subsequent attempt, the pilot reported being established on the localizer but noted the aircraft was above the glide slope. In an effort to correct the altitude, the pilot applied a nose-down pitch. During this maneuver, the autopilot unexpectedly disengaged, causing a loss of focus. Consequently, the aircraft descended below the required glide path. The pilot did not realize the aircraft had lost sufficient altitude until the impact occurred. The aircraft was destroyed upon hitting the ground short of the runway.
Findings
An investigation by the FAA into the ILS equipment confirmed that all navigational parameters were functioning within standard specifications. The primary factor in the descent was the unintended disengagement of the autopilot during a period of manual pitch correction.