What happened
The incident occurred during a night training exercise conducted on behalf of the 6th Air Observers School. While en route, the flight crew lost their position because of reduced visibility caused by darkness and a thick layer of clouds. At an altitude of approximately 660 metres, the twin-engine aircraft struck a hillside near Hay Bluff. The impact destroyed the airframe completely.
Findings
The crash resulted in the death of one member of the crew. The remaining three occupants sustained injuries. The primary contributing factor was the combination of night conditions and dense cloud cover, which prevented the crew from maintaining situational awareness until the terrain impact.