Investigation Summary
The flight was an unscheduled cargo operation necessitated by a nationwide seaman's strike, which had disrupted normal ferry services to the Isle of Man. After delivering cargo to Ronaldsway, the aircraft was returning empty to Liverpool. The approach was conducted using a PPI continuous descent radar talk-down due to prevailing conditions. Radar controllers noted the aircraft was slightly right of the centerline just before the accident, but no distress calls or radio communications were received after the talk-down commenced. Witnesses near the airport observed the aircraft at an altitude between 30 and 60 meters when it began an abrupt, near-vertical bank to the right. The aircraft completed a turn of approximately 180 degrees before rolling inverted. It struck a heavy steel girder within the factory roof, which caused the airframe to flip tail-over-nose before coming to rest. The resulting fire was intense, fueled by the aircraft's structure and the factory's contents, which significantly hampered the recovery of mechanical evidence.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the aircraft went out of control during the final stage of the approach, but the underlying cause remained undetermined. The final report was summarized in ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No. 16 - Volume II.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Michael Warrington
First Officer
Peter Kenny
Systems & Failure Modes
Rolls-Royce Dart 506
The four turboprop engines powering the Vickers Viscount 701.
PPI Radar Approach
A Plan Position Indicator radar approach where controllers provide continuous verbal guidance to the pilot during descent.
Interesting Facts
- 01The flight was a cargo repositioning leg following an extra delivery due to a seaman's strike.
- 02Two factory workers, June Simpson and Elizabeth Farrell, were killed on the ground while working late.
- 03The aircraft was banked almost vertically for part of its final turn before rolling inverted.
- 04The crash site was located approximately 365 metres to the right of the runway extended centre line.
- 05The fuselage was almost entirely consumed by the post-crash fire.
- 06The Thompson & Capper factory was widely known locally as the 'Mothaks' factory.