What happened
A flight intended to test an aircraft following a significant engine overhaul ended in a disaster at Dallas-Lew Field Airport. At 16:25, the aircraft departed the airfield with a crew consisting of a maintenance manager and two mechanics. During the initial climb, while the aircraft had reached an altitude of approximately 300 feet, it experienced a stall. The plane subsequently crashed near the end of the runway. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused three fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical failures regarding crew competency and operational oversight. It was established that the maintenance manager, who was acting as the pilot in command, held only a private pilot license and lacked the necessary ratings for this specific aircraft type. Furthermore, the two mechanics on board were not qualified to operate this model.
The primary reason for the crash was that the climb speed was insufficient, leading to the aerodynamic stall. Contributing factors included poor judgment by the person in command, a lack of proper supervision over the flight crew, and the fact that the pilot's superior had authorized the flight despite the lack of appropriate qualifications.