What happened
During a flight originating in Ireland and destined for RAF Crosby in Cumbria, the crew of a twin-engine aircraft encountered adverse weather conditions while traversing the Irish Sea. Despite the presence of deteriorating weather, the decision was made to proceed with the mission toward the United Kingdom.
As the flight approached the Carlisle region, the aircraft entered an area characterized by heavy rainfall, significant turbulence, and thunderstorm activity associated with a low-pressure system. During this period, the aircraft was struck by lightning. This strike resulted in the immediate failure of all onboard flight instruments, rendering them unusable for navigation.
Following the loss of instrumentation, the crew attempted to locate RAF Crosby but were unable to find the airfield. Faced with the lack of navigational data, the captain initiated an emergency procedure to land in a nearby field. The aircraft performed a belly landing, which resulted in the airframe being declared a total loss due to extensive damage. There were no injuries reported among the two pilots on board.
Findings
- The primary factor leading to the accident was the lightning strike, which caused a complete loss of all essential flight instruments.