Accident Sequence
Witnesses observed that immediately after lift-off, the aircraft assumed an abnormally steep, nose-high pitch angle while still at low airspeed. One witness, an airline transport pilot, reported that the aircraft climbed to an estimated altitude of 75 to 100 feet, appeared to decelerate, and then entered what the witness described as a VMC roll. The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground in an inverted, nose-down attitude to the left of the runway.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that a coupling shaft, part number 865888-3, had failed in the left engine. The failure resulted in the left propeller feathering. A metallurgical analysis of the coupling shaft indicated the presence of fatigue as the failure mechanism. The investigation did not specify the aircraft type, registration, operator, or other contextual details beyond the immediate circumstances of the flight.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was determined to be the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed (VMC), which led to a loss of aircraft control. A factor related to the accident was the fatigue failure of a coupling shaft in the No. 1 engine, which caused a loss of power in that engine.