What happened
During the initial climb phase after departing from RAF Marham, the flight crew identified a fuel leak originating from the right wing. In response to this mechanical issue, the decision was made to abort the mission and return to the airfield for an emergency landing.
At the time of the incident, environmental conditions were poor, resulting in restricted visibility. Because there was no active air traffic control or available ground-based navigation aids, the pilot had to rely exclusively on the aircraft's radio compass to navigate the approach. While performing a final turn intended to align with the runway approach path, the aircraft lost altitude and struck a field situated approximately five miles northeast of the base.
The accident resulted in four fatalities and left four crew members injured.