What happened
Following its departure from Buffalo Airport, the flight was instructed by air traffic control to ascend to an altitude of 8,000 feet. Approximately one hour after the takeoff phase, the aircraft type became unresponsive to controls and entered a steep descent. The plane struck the ground in the vicinity of Lake Milton, Ohio.
No emergency communications were transmitted by the crew prior to the impact. The force of the collision caused the aircraft to break apart upon hitting the surface. There were 13 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified a mechanical failure as the primary driver of the event. Specifically, a malfunction occurred within the electric elevator trim tab unit. This component failure led to the loss of control over the aircraft's pitch and ultimately caused the structural failure of the wing during the descent.