What happened
Following an unplanned overnight stay in La Crosse, Wisconsin, caused by adverse weather conditions, the aircraft began a scheduled cross-country flight the following morning. The mission involved an initial leg to Fort McCoy for refueling purposes. After completing the refueling process at Fort McCoy, the crew attempted to depart for Wright-Patterson AFB.
During the early stages of the climb, the left engine experienced a loss of power. In response to this mechanical issue, the pilot-in-command decided to abort the departure and return to the airfield. While the aircraft was executing a left-hand turn to rejoin the landing pattern, it entered a stall and impacted the ground. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and there were four fatalities among the crew members.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the primary factor leading to the crash was the failure of the left engine immediately following takeoff.