Event Description
The pilot had removed the airplane from a hangar maintained at approximately 60°F and positioned it on the ramp while waiting for passengers. The outside temperature was below freezing, and steady light-to-moderate snow was falling. The airplane remained in these conditions for at least 45 minutes before beginning the takeoff roll. The pilot did not remove the snow that had accumulated or the melted snow that had refrozen as ice on the warm airframe.
Takeoff and Initial Climb
According to surviving passengers, the takeoff ground run was longer than usual. The airplane lifted off at 100 knots indicated, briefly touched back down, then lifted off again. Shortly after the second liftoff, it rolled into a steep right bank severe enough that passengers believed the wing tip might contact the ground. During the initial climb, the airplane repeatedly rolled rapidly to steep left and right bank angles several times and did not appear to be climbing. The aircraft shuddered, and passengers felt it may have stalled or dropped.
Maneuvering and Loss of Control
The pilot lowered the nose and seemed to achieve level flight, then made a left turn of about 180 degrees to enter a downwind leg for the takeoff runway. During this turn, the airplane again rolled to a steeper-than-normal bank angle, but the pilot recovered. When initiating a left turn toward the end of the runway, the airplane again shook, shuddered, and yawed, and began to lose altitude rapidly. Although the pilot appeared to push the throttles fully forward soon after starting the turn, the airplane sank at an excessive rate, continuing until it struck a hangar approximately 1,300 feet southwest of the approach end of runway 35.
Wreckage Examination
Examinations of the wreckage and engines revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures.