What happened
A non-scheduled domestic passenger flight traveling from Block Island to Westerly, Rhode Island, crashed into the Block Island Sound. The flight was operating on a dark, moonless night and was positioned approximately 3 to 5 miles northwest of the island at the time of the accident. The aircraft, carrying seven passengers and two dogs, struck the water in an area that lacked surface visibility references.
Search efforts later located the primary wreckage submerged in 130 feet of water. Debris and the remains of the pilot, three passengers, and two dogs were recovered from the site. The impact caused significant structural damage to the aircraft type/model, including the separation of the left wing from the left engine and extensive destruction to the forward section of the airframe.
Findings
Investigations into the crash revealed that no mechanical failures or pre-impact malfunctions were present in the aircraft. While the pilot was undergoing medication for Lyme disease, medical examinations found no physiological conditions that would have contributed to the accident.
At the time of the flight, meteorological reports indicated a broken cloud layer at 10,000 feet and scattered clouds above that altitude. Other pilots in the area reported visibility exceeding 10 miles with westerly winds between 15 and 25 mph, alongside light to moderate turbulence. Notably, a SIGMET (GOLF 4) was active, warning of potential low-level windshear and moderate to occasionally severe turbulence below 6,000 feet. The accident occurred within a known bird migratory route. Additionally, investigators noted that there had been no recent FAA inspections regarding the operator's training programs, dispatch records, or cockpit procedures. The crash resulted in 8 fatalities.