What happened
On the afternoon of the incident, flight C.6845 departed Deauville at 15:35, maintaining a steady altitude of 70 feet during its transit to London. The aircraft was cleared for an approach to runway 28 Right and had successfully passed the outer marker by 16:24. During the final stages of the landing sequence, as the plane reached approximately 200 feet above the ground near the airport boundary, air traffic controllers observed the aircraft in a standard approach configuration.
As the aircraft neared the threshold of runway 28 Right, the left wing suddenly dipped, causing the plane to drift away from the runway centerline. The bank angle deepened until the port wing tip and main landing gear made contact with the grass. Although witnesses noted an apparent increase in engine power as if attempting to avoid an overshoot, the aircraft's leftward roll intensified. The plane subsequently veered toward a partially completed terminal building located on the northeast side of the airport.
During this uncontrolled flight, the aircraft struck two parked British European Airways Trident aircraft at a terminal pier, triggering a massive fire. The wreckage then rolled onto its back, crashed through a twelve-foot metal blast barrier, and finally came to a stop against the ground floor of the terminal building. The accident resulted in 6 fatalities among the aircraft occupants, along with two additional deaths and the loss of eight horses. On the ground, 27 individuals sustained minor injuries, while 2 people suffered serious injuries. The collision also destroyed the Trident registered G-ARPT, though the Trident registered G-ARPI was able to be repaired.
Findings
The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the failure of the port flap operating rod due to fatigue. This mechanical failure allowed the left flaps to retract unexpectedly, creating an uncontrollable rolling moment toward the port side.