What happened
Following takeoff from runway 24, the aircraft struck the upper conductor of a telephone line. The impact occurred at an estimated distance of 2,500 feet from the end of the runway. The terrain surrounding the airport, which sits on a plateau, is situated at a lower elevation than the runway itself. Specifically, the airport elevation was recorded at 331 feet MSL, while the telephone line was positioned at approximately 245 feet.
The debris trail followed a magnetic bearing of 270 degrees. Upon impact, both the left and right engines showed evidence of internal contact signatures, suggesting that the engines were producing power at the moment of the collision. A subsequent fire destroyed the cockpit and cabin areas, which prevented a detailed inspection of the aircraft's flight instruments and onboard systems.
Findings
At the time of the accident, meteorological conditions were poor. A weather report issued roughly 13 minutes prior to the event indicated foggy conditions with visibility limited to 1/4 mile and a ceiling of only 100 feet. Records from the pilot's logbook as of June 21, 2007, showed a total of 268 hours of instrument flight time, with 11 hours of flight in actual instrument conditions and 20 instrument approaches completed within the preceding 90 days.