What happened
During a nighttime departure from Long Beach Airport, a twin-engine aircraft experienced a mechanical failure involving one of its engines. At the time of the incident, visibility was significantly reduced due to the presence of fog. As the flight attempted to climb, the loss of power prevented the crew from maintaining sufficient altitude.
The aircraft subsequently collided with power lines, leading to an aerodynamic stall. The plane crashed in Lakewood, where a post-crash fire erupted upon impact. The wreckage was completely destroyed by the force of the collision and the resulting flames. There were 8 fatalities recorded among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Official investigations into the accident focused on the loss of power during the initial climb phase. While it was confirmed that an engine failure occurred, investigators were unable to identify the specific reason for the engine's malfunction.