Accident
An aircraft departed Cleveland-Hopkins Airport in the early morning for a training mission. The flight was a perfection course for one of the pilots. While cruising at an altitude of 16,500 feet, the airplane went out of control and nosed down to an angle of 60°. It partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in an open field located near Vickery. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and determined the probable cause of the accident. The official findings attributed the crash to airframe failure in flight following poor or inadequate design. Several contributing factors were identified, including issues with the autopilot servo, material failure, and an abrupt nose down pitch.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was airframe failure in flight following poor/inadequate design. Contributing factors included autopilot servo problems, material failure, and an abrupt nose down pitch.