Incident
An aircraft operating a flight from El Adem to Luqa, Malta, with 34 members of the Maltese Artillery Contingent and 3 crew members of the 70th Squadron, experienced a loss of control shortly after rotation during initial climb. The aircraft stalled and banked to the right. The captain attempted to regain control, but the aircraft struck the runway surface, rotated 90 degrees, and subsequently crashed and burst into flames. One crew member and 16 passengers were killed, while 20 other occupants sustained injuries, some serious. The aircraft was destroyed.
Investigation
Investigators determined that the loss of control was caused by the movement of the safety catch located on the rails of the copilot's seat. This safety catch dislodged, allowing the seat to slide backward to its stop. As a result, the copilot involuntarily pulled the control column, causing the aircraft to pitch up and stall due to an excessive angle of attack. It was further established that the copilot was flying at the time of the accident, which was non-compliant as he did not hold a licence permitting takeoff with passengers on board.