What happened
During a return flight from a skydiving meet, a twin engine turboprop crashed into the waters of the Great Salt Lake. The flight involved the pilot and eight passengers who were participating in a skydiving event. On the night of the accident, witnesses observed the aircraft flying north over the lake, though visibility was severely restricted by light snow, fog, haze, and a low ceiling. The aircraft was heard passing over the airport, but the low visibility and near-dark conditions prevented visual contact.
The aircraft struck the water approximately 0.5 miles from the shoreline. Investigations into the aircraft's configuration revealed that the plane had been stripped of nearly all avionics, leaving only a single transceiver and a handheld GPS unit operational. While the pilot had received a weather briefing indicating instrument meteorological conditions at the destination, the VFR flight plan filed for the trip was never activated.
Findings
Post-accident examinations of the engines, propellers, and airframe showed no mechanical failures or anomalies that would have prevented the aircraft from operating normally. Previous accounts from club members suggested a pattern of navigating through poor weather by descending over the Great Salt Lake to find visual landmarks. Evidence indicates the pilot was attempting to navigate to Tooele Airport using landmarks despite the deteriorating weather conditions.