What happened
During a departure from runway 20 at Oxford-Kidlington Airport, the aircraft was climbing through an altitude of 1,500 feet when the pilot experienced a loss of power in the right engine. Following this initial mechanical issue, the pilot notified air traffic control at Oxford Airport and received authorization to perform a return to the airfield.
During the subsequent flight phase, the right engine ignited, resulting in an onboard fire. In response to the emergency, the pilot attempted to execute an emergency landing. The aircraft ultimately impacted soft ground approximately 8 km south of the airport. Upon impact, the airframe caught fire. Despite the severity of the crash and the resulting flames, the pilot managed to exit the wreckage without any injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the primary factor was a failure of the right engine, which was triggered by the failure of the fourth cylinder during flight.