History of the Flight
The aircraft departed Denham Airfield at 1215 hrs on a day VFR flight to Durham Tees Valley Airport, carrying the pilot and five passengers to attend a football match. The outbound leg was uneventful. After landing at 1332 hrs, the pilot checked the fuel gauges, estimating approximately 30 USG per side, and declined refuelling from the handling agent.
After the match, the crew returned to the aircraft. The pilot performed a pre-flight inspection and confirmed fuel quantity sufficient for the return. The engines started normally, and the aircraft departed at 1656 hrs, climbing to FL055. The descent began about 25 minutes before the intended landing at Denham.
During the final approach, the pilot turned left onto base leg at about 90 kt IAS. The right engine ran down. The pilot advanced both throttles, but the left engine did not respond. The aircraft rolled right, and airspeed decayed, accompanied by intermittent stall warning sounds. Witnesses on the airfield observed the aircraft bank between 30° and 40° during the turn. The aircraft then rolled wings level but continued to roll right, paused at about 30° bank, then the right wing and nose dropped, and the aircraft disappeared behind trees.
Injuries and Response
All six occupants—the pilot and five passengers—sustained serious injuries and were incapacitated. They were unable to exit the wreckage. The left rear cabin door burst open during impact. No fire occurred. A bystander reported the accident via mobile phone at 1810 hrs. Emergency services arrived; the first casualty was extracted at 1858 hrs and the last at 1951 hrs. All were transported to hospital.
Investigation Findings
The aircraft was not equipped with flight data or cockpit voice recorders. Radar data from NATS provided ground track and profile. The outbound distance was 196 nm, return 184 nm (planned 178 nm). Fuel consumption was estimated from the profiles.
The pilot had completed a Licence Proficiency Check the day before, during which the examiner discussed fuel crossfeed procedures. The pilot stated he would consult the checklist; however, the crossfeed drill was not found in the checklist, so both pilot and examiner referred to the POH fuel system description.
The investigation identified that fuel starvation of both engines caused the accident. One safety recommendation was made.
Probable Cause
Fuel starvation of both engines.