What happened
Following departure from Hamilton with a destination of Havana, the aircraft was in a climb phase at approximately 9,000 feet when a fire ignited in engine number four. In response to this emergency, the flight crew decided to return to the origin airport, Hamilton-Kindley Field, for an immediate landing.
During the final approach segment, the aircraft experienced a stall and impacted the ground several hundred yards before reaching the runway threshold. The collision resulted in damage that rendered the airframe beyond repair. Despite the severity of the crash, all 16 occupants on board survived without sustaining injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the incident revealed that while the specific mechanical cause of the engine number four failure could not be definitively identified, the crash itself was precipitated by a stall during final approach. This stall occurred when the crew deployed full flaps.
Contributing factors included heightened tension within the cockpit due to the ongoing emergency situation. Investigators noted that this stress may have impaired the crew's perception, reaction time, and judgment. Additionally, the presence of high concentrations of fuel vapor in the cockpit was identified as a potential contributory element affecting crew performance.