What happened
On 24 May 1995, an Avro 748 (registration not provided) was prepared for a scheduled service from Leeds/Bradford to Aberdeen. Following routine maintenance, the aircraft was operated by a crew consisting of a commander, a first officer, and one flight attendant, carrying nine passengers. Weather conditions at the time were poor, characterized by rain, low visibility, and recent thunderstorm activity.
At 17:47 hrs, the aircraft departed from runway 14. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing through 1,740 feet, the first officer notified air traffic control of an issue regarding the artificial horizon and requested to return to the airport. During the subsequent maneuvers, the aircraft exhibited erratic flight paths, including unintended turns and banking. Despite receiving radar vectors to return to the runway heading, the aircraft continued to deviate from assigned headings and altitudes.
The final communication from the crew occurred at approximately 17:52 hrs, when the first officer inquired about cloud tops. Shortly after, the aircraft entered a steep left turn and began a rapid descent. As the aircraft passed a heading of 230°, it disappeared from secondary radar. Witnesses on the ground reported seeing a fireball descending through the clouds and hearing pulsating engine noises. The aircraft struck the ground with an impact that killed all 12 occupants.
Findings
Post-accident investigations revealed that the aircraft suffered significant structural failure during the late stages of its descent. Specifically, the right horizontal stabilizer and a large portion of the right wing outboard of the engine were lost. This airborne structural failure was caused by the aircraft being subjected to flight characteristics that exceeded its design limits following a loss of control.