Accident Scenario
Approximately two minutes after takeoff, the pilot acknowledged a request to contact departure control, marking the last recorded radio communication. The airplane subsequently collided with a hill that was obscured by ground fog, located about three miles east of the airport. The aircraft was operating under an IFR flight plan that had been filed by a man who telephoned a Flight Service Station prior to departure. That man identified the pilot as J. Hamlett, but no individual by that name was aboard the airplane. Investigators later determined that Hamlett was the maiden name of the wife of the man hired to fly the aircraft.
Occupants
Three individuals were aboard the airplane: the owner in the left front seat, his wife in the right front seat, and a man hired by the owner to fly the airplane. The seat location of the hired man could not be determined. The owner had obtained a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land approximately one month before the accident and had not received any multi-engine instruction. The hired man did not possess a valid airman certificate; his certificate had been revoked two years prior to the accident. All three occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was the owner/pilot's poor judgment in attempting an operation beyond his experience and ability, which resulted in his failure to attain an adequate climb profile necessary for terrain clearance. Contributing factors included the owner/pilot's lack of instrument experience and overconfidence in his ability. Additional factors were the hilly terrain and weather conditions.