Incident Overview
On the day of the accident, the flight departed Baton Rouge (BTR) at 0836 Central Daylight Time. The planned destination was Alexandria, approximately 78 miles away on a bearing of 301 degrees. After departure, no radio contact was established with any air traffic control facility. The aircraft's transponder continued to transmit code 1200 until radar contact was lost at 1145:32 CDT.
Flight Path and Descent
The impact occurred during a power-off uncontrolled descent about 3 hours and 24 minutes after takeoff. The accident site was located approximately 310 degrees and 520 nautical miles from Baton Rouge, with no deviations from that course recorded.
Fuel and Altitude Findings
Examination of the wreckage revealed only a trace of unusable fuel; no fuel was found in the fuel lines. Line-of-sight distance calculations from ATC sites indicated that the aircraft achieved an altitude of at least 12,800 feet. Further analysis using recorded radar data and manufacturer performance information suggested a climb to approximately 18,685 feet MSL.
Cabin Systems
The cabin pressurization switch was found in the off position, and onboard oxygen was not utilized during the flight.