What happened
During the early morning hours of darkness, an aircraft began its takeoff roll on Runway 30. Approximately eight seconds after leaving the ground, at an altitude of roughly 100 feet, the first officer identified an irregular landing gear indication and alerted the captain. Following this, the first officer requested a reduction in airspeed. During the subsequent climb, the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of about 140 feet AGL while maintaining a shallow climb angle and increasing to an indicated airspeed of 165 knots.
Shortly after reaching this peak altitude, the aircraft entered a shallow descent. The first officer noted the loss of altitude, and a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) alert was triggered. The aircraft then struck trees located 0.5 nautical miles beyond the end of the runway. This impact caused structural damage to the left wing and ignited a fire. The aircraft continued through additional trees before hitting the ground 0.6 NM from the runway end and 0.1 NM left of the extended centerline.
During the crash sequence, one passenger was ejected from the cabin, though the seat and safety belt stayed with the airframe; this individual sustained minor injuries. The remaining six fatalities occurred among the other occupants, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced an abnormal landing gear indication during the initial climb.
- The flight path transitioned from a shallow climb into a shallow descent before the impact.