What happened
The aircraft was performing the final leg of a multi-leg journey, tasked with transporting canceled bank checks. At approximately 02:25 EST, air traffic control transferred radar monitoring from Jacksonville to Atlanta Center, at which point the pilot reported being at flight level 180. Shortly after 02:30, controllers observed the aircraft passing the Macon VOR. Following this period, all radio and radar contact with the plane was lost.
Witnesses in the area reported hearing the sound of engines alternating between high speeds and diminishing intensity prior to the crash. Upon investigation, the wreckage was discovered spread across a two-mile debris field. The physical evidence indicated that the right wing had failed upward, while the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer suffered downward failure due to structural overload.
Findings
Data recovered from the scene suggested the aircraft had undergone a course reversal and a descent prior to the mid-air breakup. While light turbulence and icing were present at the cruise altitude, the specific reason for the initial descent remains unidentified. The accident resulted in four fatalities, involving the pilot, his wife, and his two young daughters.
The investigation concluded that the primary factor was an uncontrolled descent of the aircraft, which led to the structural overstress and subsequent disintegration of the airframe during the crew's attempt to recover the flight path.