What happened
A scheduled flight operated by an unnamed airline was departing from a grass runway at St. Mary's Aerodrome, bound for Plymouth. The aircraft, a Britten-Norman Islander, was carrying seven passengers and one pilot at the time of the incident.
During the takeoff roll under calm weather conditions, the aircraft experienced several bounces and began oscillating sharply between left and right directions. The plane managed to lift off just before reaching the edge of the usable runway area. Following liftoff, the aircraft banked toward the right, causing the lower starboard wingtip to strike gorse bushes in the overrun zone.
As the aircraft continued its path, the starboard wing collided with a large rock. This impact caused the plane to cartwheel and subsequently ignite. The wreckage eventually came to a stop with the rear section of the fuselage positioned overhanging a cliff edge. All seven passengers successfully exited the cabin via the overhead emergency hatch. The pilot sustained serious injuries and required extraction from the cockpit by aerodrome fire personnel and an airline staff member.
Findings
The investigation determined that the accident was triggered by a burst mainwheel tyre during the takeoff sequence.