Accident Details
The accident involved a twin-engine airplane that was performing a demonstration flight from Mobile, Alabama, to Ocala, Florida. On board were five passengers and one pilot. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced significant difficulty in gaining altitude. It subsequently stalled and crashed. All six individuals on board were killed.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was a stall during the initial climb, which resulted from inadequate preflight preparation on the part of the pilot.
Contributing Factors
The investigation reported several contributing factors. The pilot lacked familiarity with the aircraft. Additionally, the pilot either failed to use the flaps or used them incorrectly. The pilot also failed to achieve or maintain flying speed. Environmental conditions included high temperature. The aircraft was improperly loaded, being 449 pounds over its maximum gross weight and outside the forward center of gravity limits. Furthermore, the flaps were set to the full-down position during takeoff.