What happened
During a night departure under IFR conditions, an aircraft departed from runway 30 and entered its initial climb phase. An observer near the airport noted that the takeoff altitude appeared standard; however, they reported hearing sounds resembling rifle shots during the ascent. Another witness described hearing a loud popping noise accompanied by the sound of an engine sputtering, followed shortly by the sound of a crash.
The wreckage was located roughly 1.5 miles northwest of the airfield. The impact with trees caused the debris to be distributed across a path approximately 1,000 feet in length. All eight occupants were killed in the accident.
Findings
Post-accident investigations confirmed that the aircraft's flight controls were fully functional and showed no evidence of failure prior to the impact. While the propeller blades exhibited twisting and bending, investigators found no evidence of engine malfunction or mechanical failure before the collision. Additionally, a search of the wreckage revealed no bullet holes or marks from projectile impacts. The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by an in-flight collision with trees during the climb, noting that the pilot failed to maintain a proper climb rate under dark night conditions.