What happened
On the morning of the accident, an aircraft operated by Oz Gas Aviation LLC was performing a positioning flight under Part 91 regulations. The flight originated from Nemacolin Airport (PA88) in Farmington, Pennsylvania, with the intention of landing at Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW) for refueling and an overnight stay. Prior to this leg, the aircraft had traveled from Tidioute, Pennsylvania, arriving at PA88 where the pilot dropped off three passengers.
At 0957, the pilot departed from runway 23 at PA88. After climbing to an altitude of 3,100 feet MSL, the pilot established contact with Clarksburg Approach Control. While flying approximately nine miles east of the destination airport, the pilot descended to 3,000 feet. During this descent, the aircraft struck a communications tower while traveling on a magnetic heading of approximately 240 degrees. The impact resulted in one fatality and substantial damage to the aircraft.
Witnesses at the scene reported that the weather conditions at the time of the crash included cloudy skies, lightning, and thunder, with light rain beginning to fall. One observer noted hearing a loud noise and seeing the aircraft descending in an inverted position before the impact occurred.
Findings
- The flight was conducted without a filed flight plan.
- The aircraft struck a communications tower during the descent phase of flight.
- Weather conditions at the time of the accident involved active thunderstorms and precipitation.