What happened
During descent toward Brussels, the flight crew faced severe meteorological challenges, including heavy rainfall, low visibility, and a cloud ceiling of only 100 metres. The aircraft did not report its position to air traffic control upon entering the Brussels Control Area for reasons that remain unclear. Believing they were lost, the captain elected to divert to Keerbergen Airfield, situated 17 kilometres northeast of Brussels-Melsbroek Airport.
Approaching from a south-north heading, the aircraft passed over the airfield before executing a right turn to align with the 650-metre runway. The initial touchdown occurred too far down the strip, causing the plane to bounce into the air. Following a left turn, the leading edge of the left wing struck an obstacle, though the aircraft remained controllable. The pilot then initiated a sharp left turn to target the adjacent 725-metre runway. During this manoeuvre, the aircraft crashed into a wooded area approximately 200 metres from the runway surface.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that adverse weather conditions combined with malfunctions in radio communication and navigation equipment prompted the decision for an emergency landing at a makeshift airfield not designed for such aircraft. To maintain visual alignment with the runway, the pilot executed a tight left-wing turn at low altitude. This aggressive banking manoeuvre caused the roll angle to reach a critical level where the aircraft attained stall speed, leading to the loss of control and subsequent impact.