What happened
During the early morning hours, the pilot obtained a weather briefing for a flight scheduled to depart at 11:30. This briefing included information regarding thunderstorm activity forecasted for Georgia and Florida, but did not include details regarding developing thunderstorm clusters or lines moving through the coastal plains of South Carolina and southern Georgia. While in flight, the pilot was notified by Beaufort and Savannah approach control regarding the presence of level III thunderstorms intersecting the intended flight path.
Communications from the aircraft indicated that the crew was actively utilizing the onboard weather radar to navigate the weather. Radar data from air traffic control and radio transmissions confirmed that the aircraft entered a thunderstorm cell before performing a 180-degree turn in an attempt to exit the weather. Following this encounter, the aircraft crashed.
Findings
An investigation of the wreckage showed significant structural failure. The wings exhibited plastic deformation inboard of the engines, which was oriented upward. Additionally, the outer portions of both wings separated from the aircraft in a downward direction. The fuselage sustained damage suggesting that the horizontal stabilizer separated from the rear of the plane in an aft and downward motion. The elevator and horizontal stabilizer were not located among the recovered debris. The accident resulted in five fatalities.