Blackhawk Airways

The aircraft impacted the ground about 1,000 feet to the left of the runway. The pilot stated that he did not have visual contact with the ground and remembers attempting to make a missed approach. Conditions were IMC. The pilot was seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The manager of Blackhawk Airways had cleared the flight for a 1000 edt departure, but the actual takeoff time was not established. No record of a preflight weather briefing was found. However, during a telephone conversation prior to the flight, the pilot indicated to his manager that the clouds would be lower in the mountains. At approximately 1030, ground witnesses observed an aircraft, matching the description of N215W, circling beneath the clouds at Keyser, WV, then depart to the southwest. When the aircraft did not arrive at its destination, a search was begun. It was found where it had impacted rising terrain approximately 6 miles southwest of Keyser. The impact occurred on a 26° slope, at approximately the 3,000 feet level, just below a 3104 feet peak. The aircraft was climbing when it impacted wooded terrain. A pilot/mechanical, who operated an airport approximately 3 miles southeast of Keyser, reported there was fog in the morning hours with a ceiling of about 2,000 feet until midday and that the mountain tops in the vicinity of the crash site were obscured. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Following an improper level off, the twin engine airplane landed hard, bounced several times and crash landed after the undercarriage collapsed. The pilot, sole on board, was unhurt.

While cruising by night on a cargo flight from Dayton to Chicago, one or two propeller blades detached. The pilot informed ATC and due to severe vibrations, he was forced to reduce his altitude and to attempt and emergency landing. The twin engine airplane crashed during the forced landing and was destroyed. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.