On the evening of April 1, 1993, a Swearingen Merlin III twin turboprop, carrying NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki, crashed near Blountville, Tennessee, while on approach to the nearby Tri-Cities Regional Airport.

Kulwicki was being transported from a promotional appearance in Knoxville, Tennessee to the Bristol Motor Speedway for the running of the 1993 Food City 500 on April 4.

An investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to operate the engine inlet anti-ice system properly.

[1] At 21:10 while cruising at 7,000 feet (2,100 m) the flight was contacted by Tri-Cities Airport TRACON and notified to anticipate an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Runway 23.

[1] The main wreckage of the aircraft came to rest approximately 60 feet (20 m) from the initial impact point on a heading of 240 degrees.

During a post accident interview the air traffic controller stated he had watched the aircraft on final approach until it disappeared from view, then heard a pilot make a radio transmission that he could not understand, then witnessed the aircraft lights in a steep spiral falling from the bottom of the cloud level.

The NTSB report stated in part that "There was evidence that engine inlet anti-ice annunciator lights were illuminated during impact" which led to the determination that the probable cause of the accident was "Failure of the pilot to follow procedures concerning the use of the engine inlet anti-ice system and/or continuous ignition while operating in icing conditions.