What happened
During a night flight originating from Warsaw, an aircraft was performing its final approach to the Szczecin-Goleniów Airport under relatively favorable weather conditions. As the plane approached the runway threshold, it experienced a sudden loss of altitude. The aircraft subsequently struck trees and crashed into a wooded area located several dozen meters before the runway, catching fire upon impact.
The crash resulted in the death of all 18 occupants on board. Among the deceased were the Polish Minister of the Interior and the Czechoslovak Minister of the Interior, who were traveling with their respective ministerial delegations to inspect sea port facilities. The flight crew consisted of a pilot, a co-pilot, a navigator, and one sergeant.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the primary cause of the accident was turbulence generated by the collision of hot and cold air fronts at a low altitude. This atmospheric instability caused an uncontrollable descent during the final phase of flight. Additionally, investigators noted that the accumulation of frost on the aircraft surfaces served as a contributing factor to the disaster.