What happened
The flight was approaching Croydon at sunset under conditions of poor visibility caused by a cloud ceiling as low as 100 metres. While descending, the aircraft became too low for its position relative to the airport. The three-engine plane struck treetops in a wooded area near Tatsfield, located approximately 13 kilometres southeast of Croydon Airport. Upon impact, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the ground, where it subsequently burst into flames. The airframe was destroyed, and all 11 occupants were killed.
Findings
The UK Accidents Investigation Branch concluded that the pilot had descended out of the clouds prematurely while uncertain of their exact position. The pilot had attempted to navigate independently without requesting bearings from the airport. It is assessed that the crew initiated a steep climbing turn to the left, likely to avoid surrounding hilltops or after realizing they were near Biggin Hill Aerodrome rather than Croydon. During this evasive manoeuvre, the Savoia-Marchetti SM.73 lost flying speed and stalled, leading to an uncontrolled descent. Investigators noted that passengers may have been thrown forward during the stall, creating a weight distribution imbalance that hindered recovery efforts. No evidence of prior mechanical or structural failure was found.