What happened
While operating a flight from Fort Lauderdale toward Raleigh, North Carolina, the crew encountered significant thunderstorm activity and deteriorating weather conditions. During the flight, the aircraft lost control and entered a steep dive. The structural integrity of the plane failed during this descent, resulting in the separation of the wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the horizontal stabilizers. The aircraft type crashed in the vicinity of Okeechobee, where it disintegrated upon impact. There were eight fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to both environmental conditions and mechanical maintenance. The primary cause was determined to be the decision to continue flight under VFR rules despite encountering adverse weather.
Additional findings included:
- Severe turbulence associated with thunderstorm clouds
- Structural failure caused by exceeding the designed stress limits of the airframe
- Overload failure leading to in-flight separation of major components
- Failure of flight and navigation instruments due to corrosion
- Evidence of rust within the gyro instrument
- Deficiencies in maintenance protocols and inspection procedures