Zeusch Aviation Flight 1
An editor has nominated this article for deletion. You are welcome to participate in the deletion discussion, which will decide whether or not to retain it. |
![]() PH-ZAZ, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in June 2025 | |
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 13 July 2025 |
Summary | Crashed shortly after takeoff; under investigation |
Site | London Southend Airport, Essex, United Kingdom 51°34′31″N 0°41′51″E / 51.575349°N 0.697396°E |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Beechcraft Super King Air |
Operator | Zeusch Aviation |
ICAO flight No. | SUZ1 |
Call sign | LEADER 1 [1] [a] |
Registration | PH-ZAZ |
Flight origin | London Southend Airport, Essex, United Kingdom |
Destination | Lelystad Airport, Netherlands |
Occupants | 4 |
Passengers | 2 |
Crew | 2 |
Fatalities | 4 |
Survivors | 0 |
On 13 July 2025, Zeusch Aviation Flight 1, a Beechcraft Super King Air operated by Dutch company Zeusch Aviation, crashed shortly after takeoff from London Southend Airport in Essex, United Kingdom. All four occupants of the aircraft were killed, and the circumstances are under investigation.
Aircraft
[edit]The Beechcraft Super King Air had the registration PH-ZAZ and was operated by Dutch company Zeusch Aviation.[2] It flew in to Southend on 13 July, with ADS-B data showing it landed at 14:51 BST (UTC+01:00).[3] It had flown an ambulance flight from Athens, with a 90-minute layover at Pula.[3][4][5] It was operating under the callsign SUZ1.[6]
Accident
[edit]At 15:57 on 13 July 2025, the Beechcraft Super King Air was departing runway 05 at London Southend Airport for Lelystad Airport when it crashed during its initial climb.[4][5] Witnesses described seeing a "huge fireball", and footage shows a plume of black smoke.[7] All four occupants of the aircraft – two passengers and two crew, none of whom were British – died in the crash.[5][8]
Aftermath
[edit]The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance attended the scene.[8]
The airport remained closed as of 14 July 2025[update], with flights cancelled or diverted to Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted.[8][9] The Civil Aviation Authority enforced an air exclusion zone around the crash site.[10]
Investigation
[edit]Essex Police and the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) – along with the Royal Air Force and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service – are investigating the crash.[4][10] The AAIB sent a team of inspectors to the crash site to gather evidence.[11]
See also
[edit]- 2000 Australia Beechcraft King Air crash
- 2017 Essendon Airport Beechcraft King Air crash
- 2021 Piedade de Caratinga Beechcraft King Air crash
Notes
[edit]- ^ The callsign is based on the ICAO designator.
References
[edit]- ^ "SUZ Call Sign LEADER". 123atc.com. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "Beech b200: What is the aircraft involved in the Southend airport plane crash?". The Independent. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Playback of flight SUZ1". Flightradar24. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "Southend crash: Airport cancels flights after plane 'fireball'". BBC News. 13 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Southend: 4 killed". Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Bulbul, Nuray (14 July 2025). "London Southend Airport plane crash: Everything we know so far". The Standard. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Associated Press (13 July 2025). "London Southend Airport: Small plane crashes, witness says he saw a 'big fireball'". CNN. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "Four people dead in Southend Airport crash". BBC News. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Calder, Simon (14 July 2025). "Southend Airport plane crash latest: Airport shut and flights cancelled as aircraft crashes moments after take-off". The Independent. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ a b "What did we learn at the press conference?". BBC News. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ "The AAIB has sent a team of inspectors to Southend, Essex". Air Accident Investigation Branch. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.