What happened
Operating under visual flight rules, the aircraft type encountered severe weather characterized by high-intensity reflectivity while en route to its destination. There was no documentation indicating that the pilot had received a weather briefing prior to departure. As the aircraft approached the destination airport, it moved into areas of lower intensity precipitation. An individual at the airport noted that the pilot had requested weather information and runway advisories; this person reported that winds were favorable for runway 16 and that rain was subsiding.
Multiple witnesses provided accounts of the final moments of the flight. One pilot-rated witness observed the airplane on a very low approach to runway 16, noting that it performed a sudden, sharp left turn toward the east. Another witness, located near the crash site, observed the aircraft traveling eastbound at a very low airspeed with significant yawing and banking. This observer noted that the landing gear and flaps were retracted, suggesting an attempted go-around. The aircraft appeared to climb in an unstable manner before banking right, stalling, and entering a spin.
A third witness reported seeing the airplane flying southeast at a low altitude. He observed the aircraft pitch up significantly, roll to the left, and descend vertically. This individual noted that the engines did not appear to be producing significant power. The aircraft type impacted the ground in a residential area, striking trees approximately 30 feet above the surface. A post-crash fire broke out, consuming the cockpit, cabin, and parts of the wings and engines. One passenger was successfully rescued from the wreckage following the impact.
Findings
Investigations into the mechanical state of the aircraft found no evidence of pre-impact failure in the flight controls, engines, propellers, or propeller governors. While heat damage to fuel injectors prevented certain bench tests, a separation was noted in a component of the right servo fuel injector, though it could not be determined if this happened during the crash or during disassembly. The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by the failure of the flightcrew to maintain airspeed, which led to an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent.