What happened
During the departure phase of flight, a multi-engine turboprop propeller-powered airplane carrying the pilot and four passengers experienced a loss of airspeed and altitude. While surveillance footage showed a standard takeoff and initial climb, the aircraft subsequently entered a left roll and descended toward the ground. Approximately one mile from the end of runway 18, a plume of smoke was observed by a nearby camera. Witnesses at the scene described the aircraft struggling to maintain altitude and entering a steep bank before crashing into a heavily wooded area near a factory. The impact resulted in five fatalities. Following the crash, a post-impact fire destroyed much of the wreckage. Although weather conditions rapidly deteriorated into a storm with heavy rain and wind shortly after the departure, the ramp area was dry at the time of takeoff.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage, including the engines, propellers, and flight controls, found no mechanical failures or anomalies that would have prevented normal flight. Evidence indicated that both engines were producing power at the time of impact, as evidenced by propeller strikes on large tree branches. A performance study confirmed the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of approximately 386 feet before descending, noting that the climb performance was diminished compared to previous departures from the same runway. While a wind shear alert was active and the aircraft likely encountered significant wind shifts between 20 and 30 knots, investigators determined that these wind shifts likely contributed to, but did not cause, the accident. An autopsy of the pilot revealed severe coronary artery disease, but no medical event was identified as a contributing factor, and toxicology results were not considered relevant to the flight operations.