What happened
At 05:54 GMT, a Viking departed from London Airport, destined for a multi-stop route including Nice, Brindisi, Athens, and Tel Aviv. The flight was operated by a crew of three. Approximately fifteen minutes after takeoff, the captain notified London Airport controllers of engine difficulties and requested permission to return to Blackbushe.
While performing the return maneuver, the aircraft initially flew at 7,000 feet. Although the crew received clearance to descend to 3,000 feet, the aircraft descended to 1,000 feet without notifying air traffic control. Shortly after this unauthorized descent, the pilot reported difficulty maintaining the aircraft's altitude. At 06:32 local time, the plane crashed in Southall, roughly three miles from the airport. The impact destroyed the aircraft and several residential buildings. The accident resulted in three fatalities among the crew and four fatalities on the ground, with fifteen other individuals on the ground sustaining injuries.
Findings
The investigation determined that the aircraft lost both altitude and airspeed to a point where the pilot could no longer maintain asymmetric control. Several critical factors contributed to the accident. The aircraft was operating while overloaded, and the captain had been on duty for over 31 hours, significantly exceeding the legal limit of 16 hours for a two-pilot crew. Furthermore, the investigation highlighted that the airline's operational policies prioritized keeping aircraft in service regardless of safety regulations or maintenance requirements, placing undue pressure on flight personnel.