What happened
During a repositioning flight intended for aeromedical transport, the pilot and two medical crewmembers were operating under dark night instrument meteorological conditions. After departing and climbing to 14,000 feet MSL, the aircraft followed a path toward its destination airport before entering a right descending turn. This maneuver deviated from the approved flight track and air traffic control clearance. During this phase of flight, the aircraft underwent an in-flight breakup and struck the terrain. No distress signals or communications regarding the deviation were transmitted by the pilot prior to the impact.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage revealed a debris field spanning 2,500 feet. The distribution of components confirmed that the engines, both elevators, the horizontal stabilizer, and both wings had separated from the airframe before ground impact. Analysis of the wing structure showed that the primary failure originated at the wing root where it intersected the fuselage. The wing spars exhibited S-bending deformation, which is characteristic of positive overload causing compressive buckling and subsequent fracture.
Evidence also indicated that the left outboard wing was struck by the right engine following the initial structural failure. While weather conditions were suitable for icing, no structural ice was found at the site. Mechanical inspections of the engines, propellers, and flight control systems showed no malfunctions. The findings suggest the structural failure was caused by a high-load pull-up maneuver performed during an attempt to recover from a spiral dive, which exceeded the structural limits of the wing spars.