What happened
On the night of the accident, the pilot initiated a request for VFR flight following at 21:44, marking the final segment of a journey that had started earlier that morning. The aircraft was on a steady descent toward Graham Municipal Airport, maintaining a direct course. Radar tracking showed the plane descending toward its destination, with the last detectable signal occurring at 3,000 feet, approximately 8 miles southeast of the airport.
Shortly after this final radar contact, the pilot notified air traffic control that the aircraft was two miles from the destination and subsequently canceled flight following services. No further radio transmissions or emergency signals were sent by the crew. Local residents reported hearing an aircraft flying at a low altitude amidst dense fog, followed by the sound of an impact. At the time of the incident, meteorological data indicated significantly reduced visibility due to fog, with a ceiling dropping toward 400 feet and a very narrow temperature and dew point spread.
Findings
Post-accident investigations of the wreckage showed that the landing gear was deployed and the flaps were in the retracted position. Both engines showed evidence of producing power at the moment of impact, and the airframe showed no signs of mechanical failure prior to the crash. Dense fog and low visibility were present at the site. Additionally, records indicated that the pilot's duty period had lasted more than 12 hours at the time of the accident.