What happened
Shortly before departure, a flight plan was filed for an IFR flight following a weather briefing obtained from Flight Service Station (FSS). At the time of the accident, the aircraft was occupied by three individuals: the owner, his wife, and a hired pilot. Two minutes after the aircraft departed, the pilot acknowledged instructions to contact departure control; however, no further radio communications were recorded.
While operating in the area, the aircraft type collided with a hill located approximately three miles east of the airport. The terrain was obscured by ground fog at the time of the impact. The accident resulted in three fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed significant issues regarding the qualifications of the occupants. The individual operating the aircraft did not hold a valid airman certificate, as his previous certification had been revoked two years before the event. Additionally, while the owner had recently obtained a private pilot certificate for single-engine land operations, he had not undergone any instruction for multi-engine aircraft. The lack of valid pilot certification was a critical factor in the operation of the flight.