What happened
Shortly after departing from Blackbushe, while maintaining an altitude of 6,000 feet, the aircraft's right engine developed an oil leak. In response to this mechanical issue, the crew shut down the engine and feathered the propeller. Following authorization to return to the departure airfield, the flight proceeded with a single-engine approach.
During the final approach phase, while traveling at 100 knots, the aircraft entered a stall. The plane impacted a field situated approximately 135 yards before the threshold of runway 26, where it caught fire. All 37 people on board successfully evacuated the cabin, though the accident resulted in four injuries, two of which were classified as serious. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the resulting flames.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary cause of the accident was the pilot's decision to allow the aircraft to reach a stall speed while performing a single-engine landing maneuver. A secondary contributing factor involved the pilot being distracted by flickering red undercarriage indicator lights during a critical moment of the approach.
While the starboard engine sustained significant fire damage, including a heavily burned crankcase and several cylinder barrels, a subsequent technical inspection by the Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd. found no specific mechanical defects or identifiable reasons for the initial oil leak.