What happened
On the morning of the accident, an aircraft departed from runway 32 at Horn Island at roughly 0910 EST. The flight initially began a standard climb; however, the aircraft subsequently transitioned into a nose-high position and performed a right-hand wingover maneuver. Following this movement, the aircraft was observed at an altitude between 600 and 700 feet above the ground in a nose-low orientation.
During the flight, the aircraft suddenly leveled out and transitioned into a left-hand spin. Observers on the ground noted that as the spin began, the engine power became asymmetric, with the right engine maintaining significant thrust. The aircraft entered a fully developed flat spin and continued its descent without any visible attempts at recovery. The aircraft eventually struck the ground behind vegetation located northwest of the aerodrome. The wreckage was later discovered on a beach roughly 2 km from the airfield. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and the pilot suffered fatal injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced asymmetric engine power during the onset of the spin, with the right engine continuing to produce high power levels.
- The aircraft was in a fully developed flat spin during its descent.
- There were no observed maneuvers or actions taken by the crew to recover the aircraft from the spin.