What happened
In the early morning hours, a twin engine airplane departed from Croydon Airport on a scheduled newspaper delivery flight to Brussels. The flight crew consisted of two individuals: a pilot and a radio operator.
As the aircraft approached Brussels-Zaventem Airport, it encountered significantly degraded weather conditions, characterized by a ceiling of only 150 metres and horizontal visibility limited to 500 metres. During the short final phase of the approach, the pilot identified lights through the low visibility and proceeded with the landing attempt.
While attempting to navigate around an obstacle, the pilot increased engine power. This maneuver resulted in the aircraft striking a telegraph pole before crashing into a residential building located approximately 1,130 metres before the runway threshold. The impact destroyed both the twin engine airplane and the house, though no fire occurred following the crash. Both occupants sustained slight injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to pilot decision-making and navigation. The pilot attempted to land at an unfamiliar airfield under weather conditions that exceeded his authorized operating limits.
Furthermore, a lack of foresight and imprecise maneuvering during instrument flight led to significant delays, preventing the crew from diverting to an alternate airport. These navigational errors caused the aircraft to reach a position on final approach where the approach lights could no longer serve as an effective guide. Finally, the pilot's unfamiliarity with the airfield layout caused him to mistake the approach lights for runway lights.