Accident Overview
On the day of the accident, a charter flight operated under contract with the Air Ministry was preparing to transport Royal Air Force personnel and their families to Habbaniya, Iraq, with an intermediate stop in Malta. The aircraft carried five crew members, 45 passengers, and four infants. The takeoff roll commenced at approximately 0930 hours Greenwich Mean Time.
Sequence of Events
After traveling roughly 300 yards along the temporary runway, the aircraft began to swing to starboard. The skidding motion of the tires became severe, and within an additional distance of less than 100 yards, the aircraft departed the runway on the starboard side. Still under the influence of the swing and skidding, it was moving at about 45 knots. Soon after leaving the runway, the aircraft encountered a 'French' drain located approximately 25 feet from the runway edge. The impact caused the undercarriage to collapse; the starboard wheel detached, and the aircraft settled onto its belly and the port wheel. The aircraft eventually came to a stop facing nearly opposite the direction from which it had started its takeoff run.
Casualties and Damage
The accident resulted in the deaths of one aircraftsman and a four-year-old girl. Four other passengers sustained serious injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage due to the undercarriage failure and ground contact.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was an over-correction by the pilot of the aircraft's portward course, possibly accompanied by application of the starboard brake, which induced a swing to starboard. This caused the aircraft to leave the runway and strike the drain, leading to undercarriage failure. The investigation characterized the pilot's over-correction as a grave error of judgment and skill rather than a wrongful act or default.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the aircraft encountered a 'French' drain after veering off the runway. The drain's construction and location contributed to the collapse of the undercarriage. No other contributing factors were identified in the official report.