What happened
During a local flight departing from Knoxville-McGhee Tyson Airport, the pilot lost control of the aircraft. The plane entered a steep dive and struck the ground in an open field situated in Alcoa, south of the airport. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused two fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified several critical contributing factors. The primary cause was an uncontrolled descent resulting from the pilot's failure to maintain necessary flying speed due to physical impairment. Specifically, the investigation noted a blood alcohol level of 2.52‰, indicating alcoholic impairment of the pilot's judgment and efficiency.
Other environmental and operational factors present during the flight included:
- Icing conditions characterized by sleet and freezing rain
- Reduced visibility due to fog
- A missed visual approach to the airport under RAVC conditions
- The unauthorized use of the aircraft