The fact that Loehrer made no attempt to prevent the continuation of the flight below the minimum descent altitude also directly contributed to the crash.

The captain descended below a minimum descent altitude.

In the case of the non-precision approach, the aircraft can descend only to what is referred to as a minimum descent altitude or MDA.

It had begun at descent altitude, fourteen thousand feet.

Still a bit fast and high, but now it was a question of energy management, of controlling her descent, trading altitude and speed for distance, rather than any question of burning up in the atmosphere.

The aircraft descended below the minimum descent altitude for that area.

The aircraft then flew level for a few moments at the minimum descent altitude (MDA).

The aircraft descended below minimum descent altitude and crashed in a wooded area north of Hurlburt Field.

The flight crew may have been distracted by the alarm and failed to realize they passed through the minimum descent altitude.

The aircraft collided with trees after descending below minimum descent altitude during poor visibility.