What happened
During a flight conducted under visual flight rules, the aircraft encountered areas of high-intensity weather reflectivity. There was no documentation indicating that the pilot had received a preflight weather briefing prior to the flight. As the aircraft approached the destination airport, the pilot communicated with an individual on the ground to request weather information and an advisory for the field. The ground contact reported that the runway was wet and that rain was subsiding, noting that winds were favorable for runway 16.
Multiple witnesses observed the aircraft during its final stages of flight. One pilot-rated witness noted the aircraft was flying at a very low altitude on what appeared to be the final approach to runway 16 before performing 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, exhibiting significant yawing and banking. This observer noted that the landing gear and flaps appeared to retract, suggesting a go-around maneuver was being attempted, though the aircraft remained unstable. A third witness observed the aircraft flying from the northwest, noting it pitched up sharply before rolling left and descending vertically.
The aircraft impacted the ground in a residential area, striking trees approximately 30 feet above the surface. The impact was followed by an explosion and a significant fire that consumed the cockpit, the cabin, and portions of the wings and engines. One passenger was successfully rescued from the wreckage by a witness.
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 the post-crash fire destroyed the magnetos and caused heat damage to the fuel injectors, preventing certain bench tests, the structural integrity of the engines remained intact. A separation of a hub stud was noted during the disassembly of a fuel injector, though it could not be determined if this was a pre-impact or post-impact event. The investigation could not determine who was in control of the aircraft at the time of the aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin.