Flight Preparation
During a weather briefing, the pilot was informed that destination weather was not available. Instead, weather for an airport located about 10 miles north was provided, which indicated low visibility due to fog. The flight departed earlier than usual because the company business manager was concerned that the weather at the destination airport was deteriorating. The manager suggested that if the airplane did not arrive earlier, it might not be able to land at the airport.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, a power failure caused the lights around the destination airport to go out. The nearest recorded weather, approximately 10 miles north of the crash site, reported a ceiling of 100 feet, visibility of 1/2 mile in fog, temperature 46°F, dew point 42°F, winds from 220° at 5 knots, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inches Hg. Witnesses reported heavy fog at the airport, with visibility below 1/4 mile.
Accident Sequence
The airplane struck power lines and a support tower located on the approach end of runways 1 and 5, about 1/2 mile southwest of the airport. The airport had one NDB approach, which was not authorized at night. The accident occurred during dark night conditions.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in this accident were fog, the low ceiling, and the dark night.