What happened
During a local training flight at RAF Burtonwood, a SUN Neptune, registration 122443, experienced a loss of control immediately following touchdown. The aircraft veered off the runway and struck a C-47 that was positioned on the airfield awaiting takeoff instructions.
The collision resulted in significant casualties across both aircraft. On the Neptune, the crew of 12 suffered one fatality and 11 injuries. The C-47, which was carrying a crew of ten at the time of the impact, sustained six fatalities and four injuries. Both involved aircraft were completely destroyed during the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the incident noted that environmental factors played a role in the sequence of events. At the time of the collision, the airfield was experiencing poor weather conditions which resulted in limited visibility for the flight crew.