Iowa City

The private pilot arrived at the accident airport as part of an Angel Flight volunteer program to provide transportation of a passenger who had undergone medical treatment at a local hospital. About 0937, the airplane landed on runway 30 (3,900 feet by 150 feet) with winds from 073-080 degrees and 5-6 knots, which continued to increase due to an atmospheric pressure gradient. The pilot met the passengers and departed the terminal about 1003, with winds at 101-103 degrees and 23-36 knots. About 1005 the airplane was near the approach end of runway 30 with wind from 089-096 degrees and 21-31 knots. The pilot stated that he began rotating the airplane about 3,000 feet down the runway. About 1006, the airplane was approximately 3,553 feet down the runway while flying about 30 feet above the runway. The airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall, and the left wing dropped before it impacted the ground. No mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane were noted during the investigation. The fatally injured passenger, who had received medical treatment, was 2 years and 10 months of age at the time of the accident. She was held by her mother during the flight, as she had been on previous Angel Flights, but was otherwise unrestrained. According to 14 CFR 91.107(3), each person on board a U.S.-registered civil aircraft must occupy an approved seat with a safety belt properly secured during takeoff, and only unrestrained children who are under the age of 2 may be held by a restrained adult. Although the accident was survivable (both the pilot and the adult passenger survived with non-life-threatening injuries), an autopsy performed on the child revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma of the head.

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.

The pilot started the approach to Iowa City Airport by night and marginal weather conditions. Due to poor visibility, he made a go-around and followed a circuit for few minutes before starting a second approach. In half mile visibility with ceiling at 300 feet, he continued the approach and passed below the MDA when the airplane struck the ground and crashed. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft exploded and crashed in a field located near a farm, about 4 miles southwest of Iowa City. Three crew members who were able to bail out survived while three other occupants were killed. The crew was performing a flight from Lone Tree to Ogden-Hill AFB, Utah.

En route from Omaha to Iowa City, weather conditions worsened with thick fog. The pilot lost his orientation and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a field. While the pilot was seriously injured, the passenger was killed.