What happened
The twin engine aircraft departed Manchester-Barton Airport at 1100LT, heading toward Douglas on the Isle of Man. The flight carried one pilot and one passenger. At 1155LT, the pilot reported flying at approximately 500 feet in poor visibility conditions. Less than fifteen minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,500 feet, the pilot spotted a mountain at the last moment and attempted to gain altitude.
Despite the corrective action, the aircraft impacted the slope of Mount Fair Snape Fell, located roughly 30 km northeast of Blackpool. The impact occurred approximately 200 feet below the summit. The force of the collision destroyed the airframe, and a post-crash fire followed. Both occupants were killed in the incident.
Findings
Investigations indicated that visibility was poor due to mist at the time of the accident. The pilot's attempt to avoid terrain was made too late to prevent the impact with the mountain slope.