What happened
During a night flight under instrument meteorological conditions, a twin-engine, pressurized airplane carrying a pilot and two passengers experienced significant flight control difficulties. Shortly after departing on its business mission, the aircraft began to drift from its intended course and altitude. When questioned by air traffic control, the pilot indicated that the aircraft was somewhat out of control. Although the pilot managed to stabilize the plane temporarily, he reported experiencing a malfunction with the trim system.
Approximately 13 minutes after the initial departure, the pilot notified controllers of a recurring trim issue and stated that maintaining control of the aircraft was becoming difficult. Radar tracking showed the aircraft's heading and altitude deviating from the assigned path during the final eight minutes of monitoring, with flight patterns becoming increasingly erratic during the last two minutes. Communication and radar contact were lost at an altitude of approximately 18,300 feet near the crash site.
Witnesses on the ground reported hearing the aircraft flying overhead, noting that the engine noise remained constant until the moment of impact. The twin-engine, pressurized airplane struck a field at high speed while maintaining a relatively level attitude. The resulting wreckage was highly fragmented, with a debris path stretching roughly a quarter-mile across multiple fields. The incident resulted in 3 fatalities.
Findings
An investigation of the engine and airframe components showed no mechanical failures that would have prevented the aircraft from operating normally. While the aircraft featured electric elevator trim and autopilot systems that could be deactivated during emergencies, investigators could not confirm which specific trim component was malfunctioning. Due to the condition and location of certain avionics and trim components, the exact nature of the failure remains undetermined. It is believed that the pilot lost control while attempting to manage the reported trim malfunctions.