What happened
During an approach to Douglas-Ronaldsway Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility and thick fog, which prevented a successful landing. After several unsuccessful attempts to land at the original destination, the pilot decided to divert to Liverpool-Speke Airport due to better weather conditions there. While descending for the final approach at Speke, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot attempted an emergency landing, but the aircraft crashed into the River Mersey approximately three miles north of the airport. Of the nine occupants on board, one passenger was rescued, while eight others were killed. The aircraft sank and was subsequently declared a total loss.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the dual engine failure was caused by fuel exhaustion. The crew had flown from Douglas to Dublin earlier in the day to pick up passengers but failed to refuel before departing Dublin. By the time they reached Liverpool after their initial difficulties at Douglas, the fuel quantity was insufficient to sustain flight. It was concluded that the crew misjudged their fuel situation. Despite this error, the pilot was noted to be highly experienced, with over 15,000 flying hours and more than 5,000 flights on the route between Liverpool and the Isle of Man.