At approximately 1800 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and terrain. The commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed.
According to a witness, this was the first flight after the right engine had been overhauled. The left main landing gear brake was reported “soft” during initial engine run-up and the nose landing gear strut was flat. The nose strut was inflated and the aircraft taxied for takeoff. After another run-up, the aircraft returned to the ramp where the pilot said the right engine was not feathering. A mechanic traced the feathering problem to the throttle-quadrant friction lock. At this time, the mechanic noticed the nose gear strut was flat again. Subsequently, the airplane departed, with an unlit grass strip as its destination.
