What happened
The incident occurred during a demonstration flight conducted at Shillong. The aircraft was owned by Thomas Neville Stack but was being piloted by W. H. Vetch for the event. After completing several aerobatic maneuvers, the pilot initiated an approach to land. However, the aircraft was on a trajectory that was too low for the conditions. As it descended, the airframe struck overhead power cables. This impact caused the plane to lose control and crash into the public area below.
The collision resulted in significant damage to the structure, leaving the aircraft destroyed. In terms of human casualties, the pilot sustained injuries, as did four other individuals present at the scene. No fatalities were reported in this specific account.
Findings
Official investigations identified the root cause of the accident as a failure in decision-making during the landing phase. The primary contributing factor was poor judgement exercised by the pilot. Specifically, the approach path was established at an altitude that was insufficient to clear obstacles safely, leading directly to the collision with the power infrastructure.