What happened
During an early afternoon personnel transport mission from MCAS Cherry Point-Cunningham Field to El Centro NAS, California, the aircraft experienced a severe mechanical failure while cruising at 20,000 feet. An engine component, specifically the number four blade on the second engine, became detached from its housing. As this piece traveled through the air, it struck the left side of the fuselage and passed through the cabin area before exiting through the right side of the fuselage. The debris subsequently hit the right stabilizer, causing the stabilizer to separate from the airframe.
This sequence of events triggered a catastrophic structural failure of the aircraft, resulting in the cockpit section detaching from the main body. The remaining wreckage entered an uncontrolled descent, eventually impacting a soybean field situated approximately 11 km southwest of Itta Bena. The impact and a subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft. There were 16 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported.
Findings
- The detachment of a single engine blade initiated a chain reaction of structural damage.
- The trajectory of the engine debris caused multiple penetrations of the fuselage and the loss of the right stabilizer.
- Catastrophic structural failure of the airframe led to the separation of the cockpit and the subsequent uncontrolled descent.