What happened
The incident involved a twin-engine aircraft operating out of Heston. The crew was conducting a routine training exercise when the aircraft reached the cruising phase over the area near Gosport. During this segment of the flight, the airframe made contact with the mooring lines of a barrage balloon. This impact caused the aircraft to lose aerodynamic control immediately. Unable to recover, the plane descended rapidly and impacted the ground in a significant explosion. Both individuals on board were killed in the crash.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the accident was triggered by an in-flight collision with a barrage balloon. The primary contributing factor was the loss of control sustained following this impact, which made it impossible for the crew to maintain flight stability or avoid the ground.