What happened
The aircraft was operating as a corporate flight when it collided with trees during the initial takeoff climb from runway 27 at Oakland-Troy Airport in Troy, Michigan. Conditions on the ground were deteriorating, with approximately three to five inches of snow having fallen earlier in the day and remaining uncleared on the runway surface. A witness observed five inches of snow on the runway at the time of the accident, noting that it was actively snowing.
Shortly after departing, the pilot reported that the aircraft yawed and then veered to the right. Upon attempting to correct this deviation, the left wing struck the ground, leading to the collision with nearby trees.
The investigation
Post-acc examination of the airframe revealed significant damage consistent with the impact. The right engine was recovered and subjected to testing, which disclosed a small leak at the air intake manifold. In contrast, the left engine sustained severe damage from fire and could not be tested for mechanical integrity.
Findings
The accident occurred under adverse weather conditions with snow accumulation on the runway that had not been cleared. The pilot's report of yawing and veering right during the initial climb suggests a loss of directional control or asymmetric thrust, which led to the ground contact and subsequent crash.
Oakland-Troy Airport was the site of this incident involving Cessna 402B, registered as N98SW. The flight phase was identified as takeoff. No specific injury counts were provided in the source text, but the event resulted in a fatal accident.