Accident Details
On a night approach to Pendleton Airport, the pilot of a twin-engine airplane encountered adverse weather conditions. The pilot did not recognize that the aircraft's altitude was too low. The airplane subsequently struck the ground and crashed several miles from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact, and the pilot, who was the only person on board, sustained serious injuries.
Weather conditions at the time included low ceiling, fog, and visibility of two miles or less. The pilot failed to initiate a go-around and misread or failed to read the flight instruments.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be a controlled collision with ground on approach due to improper IFR operation. Contributing factors included the pilot's failure to initiate a go-around, misreading or failure to read instruments, and adverse weather conditions such as low ceiling, fog, and reduced visibility.