What happened
During a night flight from State College toward Pittsburgh, an aircraft was observed traveling at a low altitude for approximately five miles. Witnesses reported seeing the lights of the plane and hearing its engines while it flew just above the treeline. The aircraft was heading in a southeasterly direction when it struck rising terrain at an elevation of roughly 1,250 feet.
The wreckage was distributed across a distance of 375 feet and was oriented on a 160° magnetic heading. At the time of the accident, the plane was carrying 1,902 lbs of cargo, which included 65 lbs of dry ice stored in styrofoam containers. There were no reports of mechanical failure prior to the impact. The pilot, who frequently operated this route at night, was described by witnesses as being in good spirits and well-rested before departing.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was an in-flight collision with terrain during the descent phase of flight. Several contributing factors were identified regarding the operation of the aircraft. The primary cause was determined to be the failure to maintain proper altitude by the pilot in command. Additionally, investigators noted that the pilot performed an improper low pass and failed to maintain appropriate clearance from the rising terrain.