Incident Overview
Approximately ten minutes after departing from Blackbushe, at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the crew detected an oil leak on the right engine. The engine was subsequently shut down and its propeller feathered. The crew received clearance to return to Blackbushe.
Final Approach and Crash
During the final approach, at a speed of 100 knots, the aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a field located 135 yards short of the threshold of runway 26. All 37 occupants evacuated the cabin. Four occupants sustained injuries, two of which were serious. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Engine Examination
The starboard engine sustained fire damage and was removed for detailed examination by the Engine Division of the Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd. The examination revealed that the rear of the crankcase had been almost consumed by fire and that a number of cylinder barrels were severely burned. A detailed strip examination did not disclose any mechanical defect, and no reason for the engine failure was established.
Probable Cause
The accident was the result of the captain allowing the aircraft to stall when making a single-engine approach to land. A contributory factor was distraction of the captain's attention by the flickering of the undercarriage red indicator lights during a critical stage of the approach.