RED BLUFF, CA, USA
N66SL
PIPER PA 34-200T
THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT WAS NORMAL UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE VOR APPROACH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THE PROCEDURE TURN AND WAS INBOUND TO THE VOR THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 1,300 FEET MSL (1,000 FEET AGL) AND THAT THE DESCENT RATE WAS STABALIZED AND WAS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE CROSSING RESTRICTION AT THE VOR. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE THEN SCANNED THE VOR NAVIGATION HEADS 'FOR A FEW SECONDS' TO CROSS CHECK THE AIRCRAFT POSITION ON THE APPROACH COURSE RADIAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO LEVEL TERRAIN ABOUT 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO DETECT A DESCENT BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THE APPROACH IN USE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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