Accident Overview
The accident occurred during a night positioning flight cruising at 6,000 feet. The pilot was operating under an IFR flight plan and was on his sixth flight after reporting for duty at 1530 EST. A radio check at 0207 EST found the pilot's response normal.
Radar and Communications
Radar data indicated that approximately 16 minutes after the radio check, the airplane began a right turn. It disappeared from radar at about 0222 EST after turning through approximately 255 degrees. No radio transmissions were made on the assigned frequency during the final 15 minutes of flight.
Impact and Wreckage
The aircraft impacted the ground in a steep nose-down descent. Debris was found as deep as 6 feet below the surface. Examination of the propeller blades revealed s-curves or forward bending, leading edge impact damage, and rotational scoring. No preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was identified.
Pilot Background
The pilot had flown over 120 hours in the preceding 30 days, including 110 hours at night. Evidence suggested he may have lacked adequate crew rest during the day(s) before the accident.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft, possibly due to falling asleep.