What happened
The crew was operating a cargo flight from Raleigh to Miami when they reached Melbourne, Florida. Air traffic control informed them that Miami International Airport was closed due to poor weather conditions. The designated alternate airport, West Palm Beach, was also unavailable for the same reason. Controllers advised the crew to divert to either Key West or Tampa.
Shortly after receiving this instruction, the captain reported a fuel shortage to air traffic control and initiated an approach to Miami in low visibility conditions. During the final turn to join the approach path, the right engine failed due to fuel exhaustion. The aircraft subsequently stalled and crashed into the terrain. Both crew members sustained injuries, and the airframe was declared a total loss.
Findings
Investigations determined that fuel consumption exceeded expectations because the aircraft was overloaded at departure. Specifically, the total weight was 800 kg above the maximum takeoff weight when leaving Raleigh. Additionally, both pilots were fatigued and had significantly exceeded their maximum permitted working hours, which contributed to the accident.