What happened
During a local training mission conducted at Santa Maria Air Force Base, an aircraft struck the ground several kilometers from the airfield. The incident occurred while the crew was performing a new circuit pattern. As the flight progressed, environmental conditions worsened, with fog significantly reducing visibility for the occupants.
As the aircraft approached for its final approach, it descended into the terrain. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate upon contact with the ground. There were 7 fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the accident indicate that the primary factor was a failure to maintain safe altitude during the final approach phase. This error occurred while the crew was operating in degraded visibility caused by fog, which prevented them from recognizing that the aircraft had descended too low before striking the surface.