What happened
During a nighttime flight at 12,000 feet over the English Channel, the aircraft's port engine ceased operation. In response, the captain feathered the propeller and contacted Air Traffic Control to report the situation and request an emergency diversion to Manston Airport.
Shortly after the initial failure, the right engine also lost power. Faced with a total loss of propulsion, the crew executed a ditching maneuver approximately 12 km from Folkestone. Following the impact, rescue operations were conducted by a nearby boat crew. Of those on board, four crew members and two passengers were successfully rescued, but three passengers perished in the incident. The aircraft subsequently sank and was lost.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the dual engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion. It was discovered that the fuel tanks were empty during the flight because the aircraft had not been refueled after departing from Geneva Airport. Although the crew had requested refueling prior to takeoff, the process was never completed. Furthermore, the investigation determined that both pilots neglected to perform the pre-departure checklist and failed to verify the fuel gauges before departure.