Flight History
The aircraft departed Glasgow at 0317 hrs and flew to Barrow-in-Furness via Dean Cross. After leaving Dean Cross at flight level 50, the pilot proceeded on track for Walney Island aerodrome while using radar advisory service from Manchester Control.
Approach and Descent
When 12 miles north of the destination, the pilot initiated a slow descent through a layer of stratus cloud. Upon reaching Walney Island, he remained above cloud and, based on positional advice from radar, turned out to sea to continue descending. He then turned back toward the airfield while still in cloud at 1500 feet. Shortly after fading from radar at approximately 1200 feet over the sea, he advised Manchester Control that he was overhead the airfield.
Air traffic control at Walney Island was not manned at the time, and no formal record of local weather exists. However, witnesses close to the airfield reported calm wind and reduced visibility due to patchy, low-lying sea fog.
Witness Accounts
A witness located approximately 600 meters southwest of the touchdown zone of runway 06 observed the aircraft flying due north at an estimated height between 50 and 100 feet but heard nothing unusual. Another witness, also near the southwest corner of the airfield, heard the aircraft pass overhead traveling north, then heard a cessation of engine noise followed immediately by a dull thud. Both witnesses estimated the surface visibility to be more than 200 meters at the time.
Impact and Wreckage
The aircraft struck the ground on the centerline, approximately 30 meters short of the beginning of runway 06, in a steep nose-down, left-wing-low attitude. It came to rest within 10 meters of the initial impact point. Ground marks indicated the first impact was by the port wingtip, followed immediately by the nose, which was crushed. The aircraft then appeared to pivot to the right about the nose and starboard wingtip, bouncing laterally to the right of the centerline before coming to rest with its tail toward the runway.
The flaps were set to 25 degrees. The main undercarriage was relatively undamaged and showed no evidence of having struck the ground during the initial impact sequence.
Probable Cause
The official findings state that the accident occurred approximately 35 minutes after sunrise, and the approach to runway 06 would have been toward the rising sun. Examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-existing defects on the aircraft that could have had any bearing on the accident.