What happened
During a nighttime cargo operation flying from Detroit toward Saint Louis, the pilot experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines. After notifying air traffic control of the emergency, the aircraft was directed toward Canton-Plymouth-Metetal Airport for an attempted landing.
As the flight approached the airport under night conditions, the pilot was unable to visually identify any terrain. During this phase of flight, the aircraft entered a stall and subsequently crashed a short distance from the airfield. The aircraft type involved was a cargo plane, and the impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. The pilot, who was the only person on board, sustained injuries during the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified fuel exhaustion as the primary reason for the dual engine failure. Several contributing elements were noted in the official report, including:
- Ineffective management of fuel reserves
- Errors in making in-flight decisions
- Failure to properly level off during flight
- Insufficient preparation prior to the flight
- The loss of both engines before the runway was visible