What happened
During the early stages of a flight departing from McAllen-Miller Airport, the aircraft experienced a critical mechanical failure. While the plane was performing its initial climb, the left engine ceased functioning properly. This loss of power caused the aircraft to roll toward the left side and subsequently lose altitude. The descent resulted in a crash that ignited a fire upon impact. There was one fatality recorded, as the pilot was the only person on board at the time of the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing elements to the crash. The primary factor was the failure of the left engine during the climb, which led to an aerodynamic stall and an uncontrolled descent. Additional findings noted that water had entered the fuel system. Other contributing factors included insufficient preflight preparations and the pilot's failure to maintain a safe flying speed. Furthermore, records indicated the aircraft had been parked outdoors since its last refueling on 21 October 1976, and there were no witnesses available to confirm that a proper preflight inspection had been conducted.