Incident Summary
At 1205 BDT, the pilot reported departing Runway 20 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight. The cloud bases were reported to be at approximately 600 to 700 feet, with tops at 3500 feet and another cloud layer above that. At approximately 1207, the aircraft crashed on the airport boundary, beside the west end of Runway 9/27.
Impact and Wreckage
The impact occurred on the south bank of a snow-covered, frozen river. The main wreckage came to rest on the north bank after traveling approximately 300 feet.
Witness Accounts
Two witnesses heard sounds that to them resembled aerobatic maneuvers. One witness stated that he saw the aircraft just below the base of the clouds heading north. According to him, the aircraft started a 360-degree right turn, making a steep descent during the first half of the turn, then a steep climb during the second half. He reported that at the completion of the turn, the aircraft's nose dropped, and the aircraft entered a descent and crashed. Another witness saw the plane descending before it crashed. He thought that it had just come out of the clouds.
Examination
The vacuum pump and attitude indicator were examined, and no malfunction was found.