What happened
The crew departed Rivers AFB for a scheduled navigation training exercise. While en route, the flight encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by heavy snowfall. The aircraft descended too low over a body of water and struck the surface of the lake in poor visibility. The impact occurred approximately 35 km southwest of the departure airfield. All four crew members were killed in the accident.
Findings
Official findings indicated that the pilot lacked sufficient experience to operate the aircraft solely by instruments under these conditions. Instead, the pilot attempted to maintain visual contact with the ground while flying through a snow flurry. This decision led directly to the collision with the lake surface.