Incident Description
A regional cargo flight was in progress when the crew detected a fire and alerted air traffic control (ATC). ATC cleared the aircraft to divert to Salisbury-Rowan County Airport for an emergency landing. During the approach, the aircraft lost control and crashed in flames approximately a few dozen miles short of the runway.
Casualties
The aircraft carried two pilots and one passenger. One pilot was killed in the crash. The other pilot and the passenger sustained serious injuries.
Investigation
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was an in-flight fire at the rear of the instrument panel. The source of ignition could not be determined by investigators.