What happened
During an active flight, the crew encountered unforeseen circumstances that necessitated an unplanned change in altitude. In an effort to perform an emergency landing, the pilot in command initiated a descent toward a nearby cornfield.
As the four-engine aircraft approached the intended landing site, it struck a television antenna mounted on a residential rooftop and subsequently collided with a tree. Following these impacts, the plane crashed into a field, where it continued to slide for over a quarter of a mile before catching fire. The accident resulted in seven fatalities and left five individuals seriously injured.
Findings
- The aircraft's descent path was interrupted by contact with ground-based obstacles, specifically a residential antenna and a tree, which occurred during the attempt to reach a cornfield.