Investigators provide update on anniversary of Southend Airport crash tragedy

Investigators at the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) have provided an update on the anniversary of the London Southend Airport (SEC) crash tragedy which killed all four people onboard the aircraft.

On July 13, 2026, the UK’s accident investigation team said due to the impact and ensuing post-crash fire, only limited physical evidence remained on the Beechcraft B200 Super King Air.

The AAIB revealed that prior to rotation the aircraft yawed slightly to the left before experiencing a loss of control shortly after takeoff.

“Once airborne, it immediately deviated to the left of the runway centerline in a climbing left turn. It reached an altitude of between 70 – 80 ft above the runway level, having turned through 90°, before descending towards the ground,” the AAIB confirmed.

The investigators said that much of their focus has been on trying to establish the factors which contributed to the loss of control. Technical, operational, human, and organizational factors are all being examined.

BREAKING: A plane has crashed at London Southend Airport, sparking a massive fireball. pic.twitter.com/Sv2BQgLFQb— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) July 13, 2025 “Detailed examination of the aircraft and its components, while limited to some extent by the damage sustained, has been conducted in coordination with the relevant manufacturers,” the AAIB added.

The AAIB said it was able to establish the Beechcraft B200’s flightpath by analyzing witness video, CCTV imagery, and ADS-B data.

There was no requirement for either a flight data or cockpit voice recorder to be installed on the aircraft.

The investigation is ongoing and a final report will be published once all investigation activities have been completed.

“At this time, our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this accident and all those affected by it,” the AAIB said in its statement.

What happened during the Southend Airport crash?

The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, registered PH-ZAZ, crashed and erupted into a fireball at Southend Airport on July 13, 2026.

The aircraft was operated by Zeusch Aviation, a company that provides medical evacuation and transplant flights, aerial mapping, relay flights, and aerial surveillance.

Witnesses reported that the aircraft rolled to the left, nearly reaching an inverted position, before crashing. Two pilots, a doctor and a nurse were among those killed.

The accident was the UK’s most serious aviation incident in recent years.

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