Alpena Flying Services

Swearingen SA26T Merlin II

While descending to Hot Springs Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling, rain and fog. As the pilot-in-command was unable to locate the runway, he decided to make a go-around. A second attempt to land was also abandoned few minutes later. During a third approach, the pilot-in-command descended below the minimum descent altitude when the airplane struck the ground 150 feet short of runway. The aircraft went out of control and crashed on the right of the runway. All six occupants, among them two Japanese citizen, were killed.