What happened
During an evening recreational flight, a twin engine airplane departed from Stanford Airport. While operating at a low altitude, the aircraft experienced a loss of control and impacted a prairie located approximately 14 miles southeast of Stanford, near Utica. The impact resulted in a fire that completely destroyed the airframe. There were eight fatalities recorded in the accident, with no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the crash concluded that the aircraft entered a stall because it was unable to maintain adequate airspeed. Several contributing factors were identified regarding the operation of the flight:
- The pilot did not maintain sufficient flying speed
- The aircraft was being operated at an inappropriately low altitude
- The pilot's judgment and efficiency were impaired by alcohol consumption, following two stops at a tavern prior to the flight
- The pilot's blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.9‰