Accident Overview
A twin-engine aircraft operating a geophysical survey flight for the government of Uganda crashed shortly after takeoff from Entebbe Airport. The flight was scheduled between Entebbe and Masindi. The aircraft departed from runway 17 and, while climbing to approximately 1,500 meters, entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted an open field. Both occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be an in-flight loss of control due to a loss of airspeed, leading to a stall at low altitude. During the investigation, it was discovered that the rudder trim was set to the full left position at the time of the accident, contrary to the normal (central) takeoff setting.