What happened
While cruising approximately 80 km south of Copenhagen, the flight crew reported an onboard fire to air traffic control and initiated a descent. Facing a rapidly deteriorating situation, the captain executed a forced landing in the water off the coast of Vordingborg. Upon impact with the sea surface, the copilot ejected into the water before the aircraft came to rest. He sustained minor injuries and was promptly rescued as the fuselage sank quickly. Tragically, the other five individuals on board did not survive the incident. Among the deceased were two representatives from a petroleum company based in New Jersey.
Findings
Investigations determined that fuel vapors ignited either within the cabin or the port wing structure, forcing the emergency landing. The fire originated from gasoline leaking out of the overflow boxes, a condition caused by overfilling the fuel tanks. Although the source of the leak was identified, investigators were unable to determine the specific ignition mechanism.