Incident Overview
The Vickers Viscount, registration G-AMOL, departed Ronaldsway at 16:49 hours for a flight to Liverpool. The flight was conducted at flight level 70. At 17:08, the aircraft was identified by Liverpool radar over Wallasey and was positioned for a PPI continuous descent radar approach to runway 26.
Approach and Descent
Half a mile from touchdown, the radar approach was completed. The aircraft was then observed on radar to be slightly to the right of the centerline. No radio messages were received from the aircraft after the start of the talk-down. At a distance of 550 meters from the threshold, the aircraft was estimated to be at a height between 30 and 60 meters and approximately 40 meters to the right of the centerline.
Collision and Fire
At this point, witnesses saw the aircraft bank and turn to the right. The fuselage remained level while the aircraft banked almost vertically for part of the turn. When heading in approximately the opposite direction to the runway, it rolled onto its back and crashed into the roof of a factory. The impact point was about 365 meters to the right of the extended centerline of the runway and approximately 550 meters from the threshold. After penetrating the roof, the aircraft struck a heavy steel girder, causing it to tip "tail-over-nose." It then came to rest upright on the floor of the workshop, with the tail resting on the steel roof trusses. An intense fire broke out, consuming almost the entire structure of the fuselage.
Casualties
Both crew members and two employees of the factory were killed.