What happened
A test flight conducted to facilitate the renewal of a Certificate of Airworthiness ended in a fatal accident near Winkton, southeast of Bournemouth-Hurn Airport. The flight originated from London-Heathrow Airport at 10:10 local time. After completing required maneuvers, the crew initiated a descent from an altitude of 12,000 feet down to 3,000 feet.
During this descent, the aircraft encountered significantly reduced visibility due to fog. Approximately three minutes after beginning the descent, the aircraft struck the ground in a field. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate. There were seven fatalities and three serious injuries among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
The investigation determined that the accident occurred because the aircraft was flown into terrain obscured by fog. A primary contributing factor was the failure of both the captain and the first officer to properly monitor and establish the aircraft's altitude during the final stages of the descent.
Additionally, the specific type of three-pointer altimeter installed on the aircraft presented challenges in height interpretation. The difficulty in accurately reading this instrument required a level of attention that was not maintained, particularly given the operational context of the flight.