What happened
A US Army training mission ended in a fatal accident when a twin engine airplane struck vegetation during nighttime operations. The flight originated from Fort Bragg AFB and was conducting scheduled training exercises at the time of the incident.
While operating under night conditions, the aircraft impacted a tree in the vicinity of Candor, located approximately 43 miles northwest of Fort Bragg AFB. The aircraft was occupied by two pilots and three passengers at the moment of impact. The collision resulted in five fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the pilot was operating at an insufficient altitude during the flight. The primary factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain a safe altitude while flying at night, which led to the aircraft making contact with the tree.