What happened
During a brief five-minute recreational flight, an aircraft was performing its final approach to runway 23L at London Airport. The flight was following closely behind a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. As the aircraft progressed along the approach path, positioned between Bath Road and the start of the runway's approach lighting, it encountered sudden turbulent air at an altitude of approximately 300 feet.
Following this encounter with the air disturbance, the pilot lost control of the plane. The aircraft subsequently crashed within the airport perimeter, coming to rest roughly 475 yards from the runway threshold. The force of the impact caused the nose of the plane to break apart. During the accident, the pilot was ejected from the cockpit and sustained severe injuries. Among the eight passengers on board, five individuals suffered various degrees of injury.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary reason for the loss of control was wake turbulence generated by the preceding Stratocruiser.