Accident Sequence
A private flight departed Elstree at 1437 hrs en route to Shobdon in Herefordshire. Meteorological conditions were deteriorating due to an approaching warm front. On departure, visibility exceeded 10 km with a broken cloud base at 2,500 feet. Upon arrival at Shobdon, visibility was estimated at 3 to 4 km in light drizzle, with a cloud base near 1,200 feet and surface wind from 090° at 5 kt.
Radio contact with Shobdon was established at about 1502 hrs when the pilot reported inbound. The pilot later called approaching Leominster and subsequently announced downwind for Runway 09, which has a right-hand circuit. The operator of the ground-to-air radio facility observed the aircraft on the downwind leg abeam the tower at what appeared to be a normal circuit height. Shortly afterward, she heard a brief and indecipherable radio transmission described as similar to a scream. Despite repeated attempts to contact the aircraft, no response was received, and the operator instructed a refueller to alert emergency services.
Witness Observations
Two witnesses observed the aircraft in a position consistent with the base leg. The first witness, east of the aircraft track, heard an unusually loud engine sound and saw the aircraft at an estimated height of 150 to 200 feet, descending slowly with wings level. A loud "cough" from one engine, resembling a backfire, was followed by a puff of white smoke and a subsequent increase in engine RPM. The aircraft's wings then rocked from side to side before it went out of sight.
The second witness, west of the track, described the aircraft flying very low, between 50 and 100 feet, and continuing a slow descent. The wings were "wavering," then the left wing suddenly dropped to a bank angle of about 90°, at which point the nose dropped and the aircraft disappeared behind low trees, followed by an impact sound. Local farmers rushed to the site; initially no fire or smoke was evident, but a small fire developed in the area of the right wing, which they quickly extinguished.
Radar Data
Recorded radar data from Clee Hill, Shropshire, indicated that the aircraft joined the downwind leg from the east at a height of 1,100 feet. The aircraft followed a normal ground track until near the end of the downwind leg, when a left track alteration of about 20° occurred before a right turn onto the base leg. Simultaneously, a slow descent began, at approximately 350 ft/min, from 1,100 feet to 600 feet, where radar coverage was lost. Average ground speed on the downwind leg was 112 kt, decreasing to 100 kt during the descent.
Probable Cause
Examination of the engines revealed that both were mechanically and electrically capable of running; however, the left engine was stationary at impact. It was also likely that very little fuel remained on board the aircraft at the time of the accident. Therefore, mismanagement of the fuel system probably caused the left engine to stop. The witness accounts are consistent with a twin-engine aircraft that suffered a single engine failure and was flown below its minimum control speed for one-engine operation. With the right engine at low power, airspeed reduced until the left wing stalled, and insufficient height prevented recovery.