What happened
While arriving at the airport under low visibility conditions involving fog and rain, the pilot was instructed to contact London FSS. A delay of approximately three minutes occurred before the radio communication was established. As the aircraft emerged from the weather at roughly 1,000 feet altitude and one mile from the airfield, the runway lighting was not active. After requesting that the lights be turned on, the crew performed a left pattern to reposition for landing.
During the subsequent approach, the aircraft type was traveling with excessive speed and at too high an altitude. Despite a recommendation from the first officer to execute a go-around, the captain decided to proceed with the landing. The aircraft touched down significantly past the intended touchdown point. Realizing the remaining runway distance was insufficient to stop, the pilot retracted the landing gear. Consequently, the aircraft slid off the runway, crossed an embankment, and became airborne for approximately 140 feet before crashing into a large ravine.
All three occupants sustained injuries during the accident.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the aircraft weight exceeded the maximum gross weight limit, as the estimated landing weight of 14,668 lbs surpassed the allowed 14,500 lbs due to an error in the weight manifest. Other contributing factors included poor visibility from fog and rain, dark night conditions, and non-operational runway edge lights. The accident was further driven by the pilot's decision not to perform a missed approach despite high speed and a long touchdown.