What happened
Shortly after departing from a runway covered in slush and ice, the aircraft experienced significant vibrations followed by a series of lateral rolls that caused the wings to drop. Although the crew managed to level the plane, it ultimately performed a crash landing, which resulted in the aircraft catching fire upon coming to a stop. While all seven passengers and one pilot were successfully evacuated from the wreckage, the pilot sustained serious injuries.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was caused by an aerodynamic stall during the initial climb phase. Several contributing factors were identified regarding the operation of the flight:
- The crew failed to abort the takeoff despite unfavorable conditions.
- There was insufficient preflight preparation prior to the flight.
- The aircraft was operating approximately 368 lbs above its maximum gross weight.
- The flight was initiated during periods of poor visibility, specifically fog with a range of one-half mile or less.
- Adverse weather included snow, sleet, freezing rain, and icing conditions.
- The runway surface was contaminated with ice and slush.