What happened
The incident occurred during a training flight conducted by a pilot from the 12th SFTS. The aircraft was performing a dummy landing on a field near Edlington while operating in conditions of bad visibility. As the pilot attempted to apply power to both engines for the climb-out, the starboard engine failed due to a lack of fuel. This asymmetric thrust caused the aircraft to swing violently because power was only being applied to the port-side engine.
In an effort to recover from the situation, the pilot attempted to land in the next available field. However, the aircraft undershot the target area and struck a tree while crashing near Clifton, which is located close to Edlington. The sole occupant of the aircraft was the pilot.
Findings
The official investigation identified engine failure as the primary cause of the accident. This failure was attributed specifically to the exhaustion of fuel in the starboard engine during the critical phase of the training exercise.