What happened
The incident involved a twin-engine aircraft operating out of RAF Thorney Island. The crew was conducting a training exercise when they encountered adverse weather conditions. While cruising through this poor visibility environment, the pilot failed to recognize that the altitude was insufficient. Consequently, the aircraft struck the slope of a hill situated within Kingstone Ridge, close to Lewes. The impact resulted in fatal injuries for both members of the flight crew.
Findings
The primary contributing factor identified was the crew's failure to maintain adequate altitude awareness while flying in bad weather. This lack of situational awareness led directly to the controlled flight into terrain event.