What happened
The aircraft was operating a scheduled flight for the Air Transport Command (ATC), traveling from India to RAF Oakington, located near Manchester. During the cruise phase, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The aircraft subsequently went out of control and descended rapidly into the ground. The impact occurred in the vicinity of Rochefort, resulting in the death of all 28 occupants on board.
Findings
Investigations indicated that the loss of control was associated with flight operations within a low-pressure system characterized by thunderstorm activity and severe turbulence. It is understood that the airframe experienced significant structural damage, potentially including lightning strikes, which resulted in the detachment of several components from the left wing prior to the complete loss of control.