What happened
During a nighttime departure from Rochester Airport, an aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power in one of its engines. The incident occurred while the plane was in the initial climb phase under challenging meteorological conditions characterized by low visibility and blowing snow. Following the engine failure, the pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft, leading to a crash beyond the end of the runway. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire that completely destroyed the plane. There were four fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
The investigation into the accident identified several critical factors contributing to the loss of control. The primary cause was determined to be a powerplant failure for reasons that remain undetermined, which led to a stall-spin condition during the climb. Several operational and environmental factors were also noted:
- The crew failed to maintain an appropriate flying speed.
- There was improper use of flight controls.
- The aircraft's flaps were not used correctly or were misused.
- Environmental conditions included a low ceiling, snow, and blowing snow.
- Visibility was significantly reduced to one-half mile or less.