What happened
During a personal cross-country flight, a two-pilot crew was performing an approach to a landing runway. Surveillance footage from the airport recorded the aircraft's final moments, showing that as the plane reached the approach end of the runway, it began an unplanned climb and rolled to the left. The aircraft subsequently became inverted before striking the ground. The accident resulted in two fatalities.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage revealed that the left thrust reverser was unlatched and open, while the right thrust reverser remained closed and secured. This asymmetric deployment created a significant left roll and yaw. Several mechanical and electrical issues contributed to this failure:
- The aircraft lacked a nose landing gear ground contact switch, a component designed to prevent the thrust reverser from being operated while in flight.
- Electrical testing of the cockpit throttle quadrant showed that the left stow microswitch was not functioning according to design specifications.
- Disassembly of the microswitches revealed arc wear caused by aging components.
- Additional unairworthy components within the thrust reverser system were identified, though the extent of their impact could not be tested due to the wreckage damage.
Investigators also examined the pilot's toxicology report, which showed the presence of diazepam. However, because the levels of the drug and its metabolite were subtherapeutic and consistent with medication taken several days prior, the presence of the substance was not considered a contributing factor. The investigation was further complicated by the absence of a functional cockpit voice recorder, which prevented the identification of specific crew actions or flight deck communications.