Flight Details
The pilot preflighted the airplane and received a weather briefing for a night cargo flight in instrument conditions. No abnormalities were reported by the pilot or by witnesses who spoke with him. He took off on Runway 6 and contacted approach control. After entering clouds during the initial climb, the airplane turned from the intended course and entered a rapid descent. It crashed on a heading of 290 degrees while in a right wing low attitude.
Pilot Information
The pilot had logged 31.5 hours of multiengine flight time and 65.7 hours of instrument flight time as of about three months before the accident. No pilot logbook entries were located to verify subsequent flight time. The chief pilot, described as a 'good friend' of the pilot, had documented flight experience of the accident pilot that was not consistent with the pilot's personal logbook or verbal comments made by the accident pilot six days before the accident. Reportedly, this was the pilot's fourth or fifth single-pilot Part 135 flight.
Findings
No preimpact mechanical deficiencies were found with the airframe, engines, or systems. The investigation did not identify a specific cause for the deviation from the intended course and subsequent descent.