Crash of a Beechcraft H18 in Cartersville: 1 killed

The flight had not yet been scheduled when the pilot retired for the evening at 2230 to 2300 est. At 0230, he was awoken and notified to make a night cargo flight. The owner obtained a weather briefing and filed a flight plan, then briefed the pilot later. The pilot arrived at the airport at 0430. He preflighted the aircraft while the owner updated the weather briefing. The aircraft was cleared as filed with a clearance void time of 0500; the clearance was radioed to the pilot by unicom. During takeoff, at 0510, the aircraft was observed climbing northbound to aprx 800 feet agl in moderate snowfall with the landing light on. A short time later, the aircraft crashed approximately one mile northeast of the airport while in a steep nose down, right wing low attitude. No pre- impact part failure/malfunction was found. Reportedly, when the pilot 1st hired on, he exaggerated his flight experience; he had problems with instrument flying and was not scheduled for flights in marginal weather; and he was given extra help. At the time of the accident, snow was falling, mixed icing was forecast in clouds and there was a sigmet for moderate to severe turbulences below 8,000 feet. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.