What happened
The incident involved a military training exercise departing from Hamilton. The aircraft was carrying a crew of five personnel when it encountered cloud conditions. During this phase of flight, the pilot lost control of the machine, causing it to enter a steep dive. As the aircraft descended, portions of the starboard wing detached from the airframe. The plane ultimately impacted the ground in an inverted position within a field near Wallacetown.
Findings
All five crew members were killed in the accident. Official investigations determined that the pilot allowed the aircraft to assume a steep dive position while flying in clouds. During the attempted recovery from this maneuver, the high speed generated significant aerodynamic forces. These forces caused both the upper and lower surfaces of the starboard wing to pull off the fuselage. This structural failure resulted in the loss of control and the subsequent crash.