Accident Overview
A light twin-engine airplane, operating under a special ferry permit for a VFR flight-delivery to its new owner, was destroyed when it struck trees and terrain approximately half a mile from the departure airport. The accident occurred shortly after takeoff, as the pilot attempted to climb through fog.
Flight Details
The airplane was equipped only with a handheld VHF transmitter, an altimeter, an airspeed indicator, and a turn and bank indicator. The pilot had obtained a special ferry permit for the flight, which was part of the sale agreement. After an overnight stop, the pilot arrived at the airport to find reported weather conditions near zero-zero in fog.
Departure and Accident
At the first sign of improvement, when the ceiling began to become defined and visibility increased to between one-quarter and one-half mile, the pilot stated, "It looks to be a thousand feet," and climbed in the airplane. Witnesses observed the airplane executing a right downwind departure, climbing to approximately 500 feet above ground level before disappearing into the fog. The airplane then impacted trees and terrain about half a mile from the airport. Weather at the accident site was reported as one-quarter mile visibility at the time of the accident.
Investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances of the ferry flight, including the minimal instrumentation and the pilot's decision to depart in low visibility conditions. No probable cause has been stated in the official report.