Narrative:Lancastrian G-AHWJ took off from RAF Wunsdorf at 14:56 for a flight to Tarrant Rushton to undergo a periodic maintenance inspection. The airplane strayed about 24 miles off course while homing in on an incorrect beacon. It struck trees on a hill, crashed and caught fire.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was the result of the aircraft striking trees while being flown at a low altitude in conditions of poor visibility. The reason for the deviation from track cannot be determined, but it seems probable that the aircraft was being 'homed' on the Netheravon Beacon."
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Wunstorf RAF Station to Tarrant Rushton RAF Station as the crow flies is 806 km (504 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.