What happened
During a night departure, the pilot received clearance from the tower and initiated the takeoff roll. As the aircraft lifted off and began to climb, the pilot attempted to adjust the pitch by pushing the controls forward to gain speed. At an altitude of approximately 150 feet, he discovered that the control column could not be pulled back. The steering mechanism was found to be jammed or locked, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable.
The aircraft lost altitude rapidly. The pilot closed all four throttles and issued a warning over the intercom stating "Attention, crash." The machine struck the sea surface just 16 seconds after leaving the ground. 16 occupants were killed in the impact, while the pilot was the sole survivor.
Among those who perished were high-ranking Polish officials, including Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski, his daughter Zofia, and Chief of Staff Major General Tadeusz Klimecki. The crew consisted of five members from the 511th Squadron, while the passenger manifest included twelve individuals, comprising military officers, staff, and civilians.
Findings
A British Court of Inquiry was convened on July 7, 1943, following an order by Air Marshal Sir John Slessor. On July 25, 1943, the court concluded that the accident resulted from the jamming of elevator controls, which made the aircraft uncontrollable shortly after takeoff.
The official report stated that it was not possible to determine how the jamming occurred, although sabotage was ruled out. Air Marshal Slessor expressed dissatisfaction with these findings and ordered further investigation to clarify whether the controls were indeed jammed and why. Despite additional inquiries, the court could not resolve these doubts. The Polish government refused to endorse the report due to internal contradictions and the lack of conclusive evidence regarding the root cause.