Accident Overview
A Cessna 208B aircraft took off at night with light wet snow falling. The airplane reached an altitude of 700 ft above ground level before entering a steep descent, striking trees, and impacting the ground in an inverted position.
Flight Performance Data
Radar data indicated that the aircraft's liftoff point and initial climb rate approximated the values shown in the flight manual for short field technique. Two other Cessna 208 aircraft had departed from the same airport prior to the accident flight: one 13 minutes earlier and the other 3 minutes earlier. Radar data revealed that both preceding aircraft climbed at a slower rate than the accident aircraft.
Pre-Departure Conditions
The accident airplane had been stored in a hangar and was not deiced before departure.
Pilot Observations
A pilot flying an identical airplane with a similar load reported that his climb rate was lower than normal. Another pilot commented that this was the first wet snow of the year and that it was sticking to his engine cowling.