Incident Overview
A pilot performing a routine round trip flight was fatally injured when his aircraft crashed during an instrument approach to an airport. The aircraft had been cleared for the VOR-A approach with instructions to circle to a right downwind and land on runway 14.
Sequence of Events
The tower controller observed the aircraft emerge from the overcast over runway 23 at a position abeam the VOR. The aircraft then made a tight right turn onto the downwind leg, flying parallel to runway 14 and remaining close in. As the aircraft reached a point abeam the runway 14 threshold, the controller saw the nose pitch up sharply, followed by what she described as a "wing over" maneuver. The aircraft then dove and impacted the runway near the threshold.
Pilot Background
The controller stated that the pilot made this round trip every day and that she had observed him perform this same maneuver on several previous occasions. No further details about the pilot's experience or the aircraft were provided.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the accident was determined to be the pilot's poorly planned approach to the runway following an instrument approach, which resulted in a loss of control. The investigation did not specify any other contributing factors.