What happened
The incident involved a twin-engine military transport aircraft engaged in a mission to repatriate wounded United States soldiers to the US. The flight was scheduled to include a stopover at RAF Greenham Common, located near Newbury in Berkshire. As the crew initiated the descent phase, they encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by low visibility and cloud bases as low as 600 feet.
While navigating through mountainous terrain near Hindhead in Surrey, the aircraft collided with a radar antenna situated on Mount Gibbet. The impact caused the loss of the right wing, leading to an uncontrolled descent. The aircraft subsequently crashed in flames into a hut on the mountain. This event resulted in 31 fatalities, comprising all 30 individuals on board and one person inside the structure.
Findings
Investigations determined that the crew commenced the approach using visual flight rules despite being in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). A critical contributing factor was the collision with a 70-meter-high radar antenna that lacked required lighting equipment, rendering it invisible to the pilots. Additionally, the presence of this obstacle was not depicted on any available aeronautical charts, meaning the crew had no prior knowledge of its location.