Incident Summary
A twin-engine airplane was completing a flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, with an intermediate stop at Gage, Oklahoma. While en route, the left engine lost power. The pilot decided to divert to Follett-Lipscomb County Airport in Texas. During the approach, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames in a prairie area. The pilot was killed and the three passengers sustained serious injuries.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was an engine malfunction during normal cruise and a stall on initial approach due to insufficient speed. Contributing factors included inadequate maintenance and inspection, lubricating system issues leading to oil exhaustion, failure to maintain flying speed, improper IFR operation, and adverse weather conditions such as low ceiling, rain, and fog.