What happened
During a climb following departure from Cleveland-Burke Lakeholder Airport, an aircraft became uncontrollable and plunged into Lake Erie. The impact with the water resulted in the total destruction of the plane. There were no survivors among the nine fatalities recorded during the accident.
Findings
Investigations determined that the aircraft experienced a loss of control because the right wing suffered a partial structural failure while the plane was ascending. The investigation identified several contributing elements to this mechanical failure:
- A fatigue fracture occurred within the attachment fitting located at the junction of the lower right main wing and the fuselage root.
- Issues were noted regarding the bolts and the specific wing attachment fitting.
- Inadequate adherence to FAA replacement time requirements for certain components by company personnel was also identified as a contributing factor.