What happened
During the early morning hours at Wold-Chamberlain Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an aircraft crashed while departing on runway 22. The flight initially achieved a normal takeoff and reached an altitude of approximately 100 feet. However, the aircraft subsequently began a gradual nose-down pitch, leading to a continuous descent that ended in a ground impact.
While all passengers and crew were evacuated from the plane, a fire ignited shortly after the occupants exited, ultimately destroying the aircraft. Of the 62 persons on board, including two infants, several sustained serious injuries, though there were no fatalities reported.
At the time of the accident, the sky was clear, but visibility was significantly hampered by fog. While the general visibility was roughly three miles, certain areas near the airport experienced much denser patches, reducing sight to less than one mile. The climb progressed from a well-lit, developed area toward a darker, unlit section of the airfield.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the pilot's inattention to flight instruments during the period when flaps were being retracted caused the nose to drop. The combination of darkness and low visibility created a sensory illusion, which prevented the pilot from realizing the aircraft was descending.