What happened
A charter flight departed from Leeds-Bradford Airport at 17:15 local time, bound for Staverton. The twin engine airplane was transporting a pilot and seven staff members from the ICI Fibres Company. Shortly after takeoff, while the aircraft was in its initial climb phase, it encountered mechanical or operational difficulties amidst marginal weather conditions.
During this period, the flight lost control and entered a steep dive. The aircraft subsequently crashed into a field situated approximately two miles from the departure airport. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the twin engine airplane. There were eight fatalities recorded, as all occupants on board perished in the accident. The event occurred roughly six minutes after the flight had departed.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the primary factor was the sudden loss of control during the climb. It was determined to be highly likely that the pilot became incapacitated due to an acute coronary episode while in flight, leading to the subsequent loss of aircraft command.