BEECH A36 — Cumberland, MD

What happened

The pilot was conducting a localizer/distance measuring equipment approach to runway 23, in night instrument meteorological conditions, to an airport that was 775 feet above mean sea level (msl). Radar contact with the airplane was lost while the airplane was inbound on the approach, about 12 miles northeast of the airport at an altitude of 3,700 feet msl. Air traffic control advised the pilot that he was no longer under radar coverage, which he acknowledged. There were no further communications received from the airplane. The airplane impacted 60- to 80-foot-tall trees at the top of a ridgeline that was about 1,240 feet msl, approximately 3.13 miles northeast of the airport. The debris path was oriented about a 110-degree heading, and the airplane came to rest about a 065-degree bearing from the runway. Examination of the wreckage, which was extensively fire- and impact-damaged, did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot was an active Federal Aviation Administration-designated pilot examiner and had about 11,500 hours of total flight experience. A weather observation taken at the airport about the time of the accident included winds from 150 degrees at 6 knots, visibility of 1 1/4 miles, and a 600-foot overcast ceiling. The minimum visibility for the approach was 1 mile and the minimum descent altitude was 1,400 feet msl.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.