What happened
The floatplane departed San Diego on a ferry mission bound for Pensacola, carrying a crew of five individuals. While traversing airspace over Texas, the aircraft encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by severe turbulence within an overcast environment. In response to these hazardous conditions, the crew decided to evacuate the airframe. The abandoned airplane subsequently dived into the terrain and crashed in the vicinity of Lamesa. As a result of the impact, one person was killed, while the other four crew members escaped without injury.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the accident occurred because the aircraft was abandoned during an encounter with severe atmospheric turbulence.