What happened
A demonstration flight intended to showcase a new jetliner to prospective clients in Southeast Asia and Oceania ended in a fatal accident at Mauripur Airbase. The aircraft was being operated by a crew consisting of five flight personnel and six De Havilland engineers. During the takeoff roll on runway 25, the De Havilland Comet failed to achieve sufficient lift to become airborne within the 2,500-meter runway length.
As the aircraft overran the end of the runway, it struck various obstacles and breached the perimeter fence. The flight ended when the plane crashed into a nearby small river, where a post-crash fire broke out. There were 11 fatalities and no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary cause of the accident was an excessive pitch angle during the takeoff roll. The nose of the aircraft was raised too high, which induced a partial stall and created significant aerodynamic drag. This prevented the plane from accelerating at the necessary rate to lift off before the runway ended. Although the pilot attempted to correct the high pitch attitude, the intervention occurred too late to avoid hitting obstructions beyond the airfield boundary.
Additional contributing factors included the pilot's decision to perform a night takeoff at the maximum weight permitted for the current conditions. The pilot also possessed limited experience with the De Havilland Comet, and the specific requirements for the necessary takeoff technique were not properly maintained during the high-stress maneuver.