What happened
A ferry flight traveling from Nice, France, to London-Gatwick Airport ended in a fatal accident when the aircraft struck the ground. The pilot was operating the aircraft alone during the descent phase of the flight. While attempting to maintain visual flight rules (VFR), the pilot encountered significant weather disturbances, including rain and turbulence. As the flight progressed into cloud cover, the pilot lost control of the plane, resulting in a high-impact crash into a field.
The accident resulted in one fatality and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the crash revealed that the aircraft struck high ground while the pilot was attempting to navigate at a low altitude under conditions of poor visibility. It is believed that the pilot may have failed to realize the severity of the worsening weather in southern England after crossing the coast, which necessitated flying at a lower altitude to maintain visual contact with the terrain.
Additional contributing factors included:
- The presence of turbulent airflow likely caused by the lee of a ridge.
- A lack of necessary navigational aids, as investigators noted that no topographic maps for the United Kingdom were found on board the aircraft.