What happened
During a night flight conducted under instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot was executing an instrument landing system approach when it was discovered that the glide slope was non-operational. In response, the pilot transitioned to a localizer-only approach to continue the descent. At the time, visibility was limited by a 400-foot ceiling.
As the aircraft progressed on final approach, the pilot identified that the flight was both too fast and too high. To correct the flight path, the crew utilized flaps and speed brakes to reduce airspeed and manage the descent toward the minimum descent altitude. Upon descending below the cloud ceiling, the runway lights became visible, and the pilot attempted to complete the landing.
However, the aircraft touched down significantly past the intended touchdown point. This long landing caused the plane to overshoot the runway at the departure end, where it subsequently collided with an embankment. The aircraft came to a stop after the impact. An inspection by a Federal Aviation Administration official revealed that the fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained substantial damage. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported by the pilot prior to the incident.
Findings
- The pilot was forced to fly a localizer-only approach due to the unavailable glide slope.
- The aircraft was operating in night conditions with a low ceiling of 400 feet.
- The aircraft's approach profile was characterized as being too high and too fast prior to the use of speed brakes and flaps.