What happened
During an eight-minute local sightseeing excursion, an aircraft experienced a significant mechanical issue shortly after departing from runway 3<0xA0>5. While the plane was in its initial climb phase, the left engine suffered a loss of power. In response to the engine failure, the crew attempted to manage the descent by reducing altitude and preparing for an emergency landing.
During this maneuver, the right wing made contact with trees, causing the aircraft to lose further height and ultimately crash in the vicinity of a farm. Despite the impact, all 29 occupants were successfully evacuated from the wreckage. Among those rescued, nine individuals sustained injuries. The aircraft was determined to be a total loss following the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the incident identified that the left engine failed due to issues within the ignition system. Specifically, the center electrode of the rear spark plug in the number 3 cylinder was missing, which led to the loss of power on one engine.
Several contributing factors were noted during the investigation, including:
- Material failure related to the spark plug
- Inadequate preparation during the preflight inspection
- Issues regarding the aircraft's weight and center of gravity
- The aircraft was operating approximately 581 pounds above its maximum takeoff weight