The report makes interesting reading:
At 1229, 2.7 nm from Runway 07, the aircraft landing gear was lowered and approach flaps were selected. Shortly after that, the autopilot was disconnected, and almost immediately the aircraft departed from controlled flight. It rolled quickly into a steep right bank and descended rapidly. The aircraft continued its rapid descent and impacted the ground in a near-level attitude.
- On the MU-2 instrument-approach profile, the standard speed prior to the initial approach fix is 150 knots, slowing to a final approach speed of 125 knots past the final approach fix.
- In this instance, the aircraft's speed prior to the initial approach fix was 240 knots, and past the final approach fix the speed decreased below 175 knots, only 2.7 nm from Runway 07—much later than prescribed (Figure 1). The aircraft landing gear was lowered and approach flaps were selected at this point.
So it doesn't look like an altimeter-setting related crash, but a loss of control after gear and flaps down, while manual flying 50 kts too fast
- The pilot-passenger occupying the right-hand cockpit seat was a commercial pilot and flight instructor.
- The pilot-passenger was not qualified to fly the MU-2.
- A second crew member was not required to fly the MU-2.
- The pilot-passenger was invited to come on the flight to help with some basic piloting functions.
- Although not required by regulation, the occurrence aircraft was equipped with a lightweight recording system.
- It was recovered in good condition from the wreckage.
- TSB specialists at the Lab have extracted and continue to analyze data from the recorder.
- The recorder will provide information critical to understanding the circumstances and events that led to the departure from controlled flight—information that would not have been available to the investigation if the aircraft had not been equipped with a recording system.
Clearly a recorder of some kind would be very beneficial for analysis of future crashes of aircraft not equipped with FDRs.