What happened
During a nighttime flight conducted under marginal weather conditions, a twin engine aircraft lost control and entered a spiral descent. The aircraft subsequently struck an open field situated near Elkton. The impact was severe enough to cause the total disintegration of the airframe. There were no survivors among the 11 fatalities recorded in the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical contributing factors related to flight preparation and aircraft configuration. The descent became uncontrolled due to inadequate preflight preparation by the pilot. Specific technical issues included:
- The aircraft was loaded improperly, resulting in a gross weight that exceeded limits by approximately 798 pounds.
- The Center of Gravity (CofG) was positioned 2.72 inches aft of the rear limit.
- The flight encountered icing conditions, specifically involving freezing rain and sleet.
- There was a failure to provide necessary manuals, equipment, or sufficient directives by the relevant personnel.