Accident Details
On a night approach to Birmingham Airport, the flight crew contacted air traffic control to report trim trouble. They subsequently decided to abort the landing and initiate a go-around. During the attempt to gain altitude, the crew lost control of the aircraft, which entered a stall and crashed near the airport.
Both pilots were killed in the accident. Both passengers on board sustained serious injuries.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the crew's failure to obtain or maintain flying speed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Contributing factors identified by investigators included improper in-flight decisions or planning, airframe ice, icing conditions (sleet and freezing rain), ice accumulation on the engine, and the pilot's initiation of a go-around with reported trim trouble, leading to loss of control in a steep nose-up attitude.