Accident Summary
On a night takeoff from Rochester Airport, the aircraft encountered poor weather conditions. Shortly after departure, an engine failure occurred. The pilot subsequently lost control of the airplane, which crashed in flames past the end of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed, and all four occupants were killed.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, weather conditions included low ceiling, snow and blowing snow, and visibility of one-half mile or less. The flaps were set to full down.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was powerplant failure for undetermined reasons and a stall/spin during initial climb. Contributing factors included improper operation of flight controls, failure to maintain flying speed, misuse or failure to use flaps, low ceiling, snow and blowing snow, visibility of one-half mile or less, and flaps full down.