What happened
During a nighttime departure from Kansas City Airport, an aircraft operating a mail flight experienced significant difficulties maintaining altitude. While attempting to gain height following takeoff, the aircraft type entered a stall and impacted the ground near the runway threshold. The impact was followed by a post-crash fire that resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. Both members of the flying crew sustained serious injuries during the accident.
Findings
The investigation into the crash identified several critical issues regarding the aircraft's condition and preparation. The primary reason for the stall during the initial climb was determined to be inadequate preflight preparation by the crew.
Several contributing factors were also documented, including:
- Presence of ice on the airframe
- Adverse weather conditions involving sleet and freezing rain
- Accumulation of frost on the wings
- An improperly configured center of gravity and aircraft weight
- The aircraft operating at a weight exceeding its maximum allowable takeoff limit