What happened
During a departure in weather conditions characterized by freezing fog and light snow, an aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude after leaving the runway. At the time of the incident, approximately two inches of snow had accumulated on the ground, though the runway had been cleared roughly one hour before the flight began. The aircraft had been moved from a heated hangar approximately 20 minutes prior to the takeoff attempt.
As the flight proceeded down the 3,240-foot runway, the aircraft reached airborne status after traveling roughly 2,160 feet. Following liftoff, the plane was unable to climb, remaining at an altitude of no more than 25 to 30 feet above the ground. The aircraft subsequently struck an embankment located at the runway's terminus. The momentum of the impact carried the plane across railroad tracks and through a perimeter fence, where it finally stopped in a brick storage yard, approximately 800 to 1,000 feet beyond the end of the runway.
Findings
Investigation into the circumstances revealed that the pilot did not perform deicing procedures because they were informed that the airport lacked the necessary deicing equipment. Weather observations from a facility five miles away confirmed visibility was limited to 1/2 mile due to snow and freezing fog, with temperatures at 27 degrees F.