Accident
A twin-engine airplane took off at night from Lexington-Blue Grass Airport. During the initial climb, the airplane had difficulty gaining height. It subsequently struck tree tops, stalled, and crashed in flames in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed, and all five occupants were killed.
Investigation
The official investigation found that the accident resulted from a collision with trees and subsequent crash during climb. The cause of the accident was an engine failure due to a crankshaft failure. The investigation listed the following contributing factors: material failure, failure to follow approved procedures, improper emergency procedures, rain, fog, forced landing off airport on land, visibility less than one mile, both propeller blade angles found at 30° settings, and flaps found extended. The weather at the time included rain and fog, and visibility was less than one mile. The aircraft's propellers were set to a 30° blade angle, and the flaps were in the extended position.